WHO : world close to flu pandemic

[Guest guest]

WHO Getting Close to Declaring H1N1 Pandemic

GENEVA (Reuters) Jun 09 - The World Health Organization is getting close to

declaring a full H1N1 influenza pandemic but wants to make sure countries are

well prepared for such a move to prevent a panic, its top flu expert said

Tuesday.

Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, voiced concern at the

sustained spread of the new strain in countries, including more than 1,000 cases

in Australia, following major outbreaks in North America where it was first

detected.

The disease, widely known as swine flu, which has infected over 26,500 people in

73 countries, with 140 deaths, has also spread widely in Britain, Spain and

Japan.

Confirmed community spread in a second region beyond North America would trigger

moving to phase 6 from the current phase 5 on the WHO's 6-level pandemic alert

scale.

Asked whether there was any doubt that a pandemic was under way, Fukuda told a

weekly teleconference: " We are really getting very close to that. "

Fukuda said a decision to declare a pandemic involved more than simply making an

announcement. 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, " Fukuda said.

A very real danger was that hospitals could be overwhelmed by people seeking

help when they did not really need it.

Since the new flu strain first appeared, many people have stopped eating pork,

pigs have been culled in some countries, trade bans on meat imposed, travelers

quarantined and some countries have discussed closing borders.

" These are the kinds of potential adverse effects that you can have if you go

out without making sure people understand the situation as well as possible, "

Fukuda said.

[Guest guest]

Interesting, as I've not heard much of anything about it in the media,

print or tv, in the last couple weeks.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 9:36:54 PM, you wrote:

> WHO Getting Close to Declaring H1N1 Pandemic

> GENEVA (Reuters) Jun 09 - The World Health Organization is getting close to

> declaring a full H1N1 influenza pandemic but wants to make sure countries are

> well prepared for such a move to prevent a panic, its top flu expert said

> Tuesday.

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[Guest guest]

For the first month, every new case and every death was reported in every paper.

After awhile, people lose interest. Very little has been reported in the last

few weeks...

But the H1N1 is still vry much alive and multiplying. It's far from over, and

the concern is that it will mutate for the fall flu season and become more

deadly and resistant to drugs.

sandy

>

> Interesting, as I've not heard much of anything about it in the media,

> print or tv, in the last couple weeks.

>