The World Bank is giving Mexico more than 200 million U.S. dollar in loans to help the country tackle a recent outbreak of swine flu, Mexican Finance Minister Agustin Carstens said here Sunday.

Carstens said 25 million U.S. dollars will be used for immediate needs like purchasing medicine and medical equipment, while another 180 million in loans will deal with long-term needs.

He made the remarks in a press briefing at the spring meetings of World Bank and the International Monetary Fund held in the U.S. capital of Washington.