WHO on verge of declaring H1N1 flu pandemic

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By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO) is on the verge of declaring the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years, but wants to ensure countries are well prepared to prevent a panic, its top flu expert said on Tuesday.

Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, voiced concern at the sustained spread of the new H1N1 strain -- including more than 1,000 cases in Australia -- following major outbreaks in North America, where it emerged in April.

Confirmed community spread in a second region beyond North America would trigger moving to phase 6 -- signifying a full-blown pandemic -- from the current phase 5 on the WHO's 6-level pandemic alert scale.

"The situation has really evolved a lot over the past several days. We are getting really very close to knowing that we are in a pandemic situation, or I think, declaring that we are in a pandemic situation," Fukuda told a teleconference.

Fukuda said a move to phase 6 would reflect the geographic spread of the new disease.

"It does not mean that the severity of the situation has increased or that people are getting seriously sick at higher numbers or higher rates than they are right now," he said.

A decision to declare a pandemic involved more than simply making an announcement, he said. The United Nations agency had to ensure that countries were able to deal with the new situation and also handle any public reaction.

"One of the critical issues is that we do not want people to 'over-panic' if they hear that we are in a pandemic situation. That they understand, for example, that the current assessment of the situation is that this is a moderate level," Fukuda said.

The WHO and its 193 member states are working hard to prepare for a pandemic, for instance developing vaccines and building up supplies of anti-viral drugs, he said.

The disease, which has infected over 26,500 people in 73 countries, with 140 deaths, has been most severe in Mexico, which has reported the highest number of fatalities, more than 100. These include infections in otherwise healthy young people.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090609/ts_nm/us_flu_who

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By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO) is on the verge of declaring the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years, but wants to ensure countries are well prepared to prevent a panic, its top flu expert said on Tuesday.

Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, voiced concern at the sustained spread of the new H1N1 strain -- including more than 1,000 cases in Australia -- following major outbreaks in North America, where it emerged in April.

It's an audacious lie, invented by US HHS and WHO to cover their own inadequacy and blame it on Oz. Simply not true.

Don't worry, constellation will be on this thread any moment to assure us that it is simply not possible for swine flu to infect Australia because as we all know everything is perfect in Australia.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO) is on the verge of declaring the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years, but wants to ensure countries are well prepared to prevent a panic, its top flu expert said on Tuesday.

Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, voiced concern at the sustained spread of the new H1N1 strain -- including more than 1,000 cases in Australia -- following major outbreaks in North America, where it emerged in April.

It's an audacious lie, invented by US HHS and WHO to cover their own inadequacy and blame it on Oz. Simply not true.

Don't worry, constellation will be on this thread any moment to assure us that it is simply not possible for swine flu to infect Australia because as we all know everything is perfect in Australia.

Well, if it is true...it's all those illegal Messikans crossing the border into Australia. They're great swimmers you know.

[Ban Hammer 13,394]

i thought this was a dead issue.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Philippines announced they have suspended opening day at several schools until the end of June. There is an H1N1 path from Mexico to China to Manila, Philippines.

We just had one death from the virus here in the San Francisco Bay area last week. This week, the affected schools are leaving it up to parents and teachers whether they want to return to school this week.

Edited June 10, 2009 by Mister_Bill