The number of swine flu deaths worldwide has exceeded 10,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday.

WHO said on its website that as of December 13, at least 10,582 people throughout the world had died of swine flu, with about a thousand passing away during the past week. However, every year, up to 500,000 people die from seasonal flu.

A British epidemiologist said on Tuesday he was worried by close links between WHO officials and pharmaceutical companies over swine flu.

Recent Danish media reports alleged that the WHO, which on June 11 declared swine flu a pandemic, has teamed up with pharmaceutical companies to create a scare and cash in on selling a cure.

In an interview with Russia's BFM.ru, Tom Jefferson, a scientist currently based in Rome, said WHO expert committees have "people with extensive ties to the industry or decision-makers who have explicitly kept on producing apocalyptic forecasts year in, year out."

Another disturbing fact, he said, was "the absence [with a few exceptions] of disclosure of competing interests during committee meetings" and in addition to that, there was a mysterious "swine flu committee of 12 who apparently advise the WHO Director General."

MOSCOW, December 18 (RIA Novosti)