Colombian President has swine flu

South American leaders who met the Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe, at a summit on Friday have been advised that he has swine flu.

Mr Uribe, 57, began feeling ill at the meeting in Bariloche, Argentina. He was confirmed as having swine flu after returning home, Social Protection Minister Diego Palacio said. Mr Uribe, a key US ally, is not considered a high-risk patient and will continue working from his computer.

Colombia's public health director, Gilberto Alvarez, said his condition would be monitored over the next week. During the Union of South American Nations summit, Mr Uribe spent hours defending his plan to give US troops more access to Colombian bases as part of the fight against drug traffickers and leftist rebels.