Mexican health officials said on Saturday that the death toll of A/H1N1 flu in the country rose to 68 from 66 on the previous day.

The number of other people who have contracted the flu reached 3,034.

The ministry said the country is on the path to controlling the outbreak, and reports of infections, deaths and hospitalizations are showing a decreasing trend.

The WHO, whose data lags national tallies, earlier put the number of confirmed cases at 8,451 in 36 countries, with 72 deaths.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2009)