Russia-Health security checks on airline passengers.

RUSSIA-NONSESNSE AT RUSSIAN AIRPORTS.

Russia will inspect all planes coming from north and south America for swine flu starting Monday, the country’s chief medical official said, quoted by news agencies.

"From today all flights coming from the American continent will be inspected," said the official, Gennady Onishchenko, noting that suspected cases of the virus had been identified in Canada and Brazil.

The announcement came as health authorities worldwide attempted to limit the spread of the potential deadly virus after it killed over 100 people in Mexico.

"These conditions are being imposed to minimize the possibility of the virus’ entry into our country," Onishchenko said.

He added that regional authorities in Russia had been ordered to monitor all suspected cases of swine flu and conduct tests for the virus.

On Sunday Russia banned meat imports from Mexico, several US states and nine Latin American nations in a bid to contain the virus, which has appeared in the United States and Canada and is feared to have spread as far as New Zealand.