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The world, with the United States leading the way, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of swine flu cases since Friday, the World Health Organization said Monday.

Since Friday, 7,873 more people worldwide were reported infected with the H1N1 virus and 51 more deaths were noted. To date, worldwide, there have been nearly 40,000 confirmed cases in 88 countries, with 167 deaths. Agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have released guidelines on containing swine flu outbreaks in long-term care facilities. 

The United States has reported 3,594 new cases since Friday, for a total of 21,449 with 87 deaths, WHO said. Mexico was stable (7,600 cases and 113 deaths), while there were 805 new cases in Canada (5,710 cases and 13 deaths). Figures that have yet to be incorporated into WHO’s official statistics may drive the worldwide number of infections and deaths even higher. The disease has now been reported in 100 countries and territories, the Agence France-Presse reported.