Bangkok shuts 435 schools

The Thai capital will close 435 schools for five days to prevent the spread of the H1N1 flu virus, a senior official said yesterday. Thailand has reported 4,057 cases of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, since mid-May and 24 deaths from the virus, 10 of them people from Bangkok.

The World Health Organization said this week that the H1N1 virus was "unstoppable" and gave drug makers full go-ahead to manufacture vaccines.