White House predicts Flu Pandemic somewhat likely

[Guest guest]

White House says full pandemic " somewhat likely "

May 02, 2009 07:35am

The White House says the World Health Organisation is ``somewhat likely'' to

raise its flu alert to the highest level, phase six, which would signal that the

world is in a pandemic.

``I think it is somewhat likely that in the next few days that the WHO will

raise their alert level. I think most people anticipate that,'' spokesman

Gibbs told reporters at his daily briefing early today.

``That won't change our preparation because we have always planned for doing all

that is necessary to ensure the protection of the American people,'' said Gibbs,

who is President Barack Obama's lead spokesman.

The WHO said yesterday that there was no reason to raise its five-step alert

level to the sixth notch as the outbreak of swine flu appeared to remain steady.

The day before, the organisation had raised the alert level to five, which

signals that a pandemic is ``imminent''. Phase six would signal that the world

is in a pandemic.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25417290-661,00.html

[Guest guest]

We know it's a Pandemic, because of it's attacking the young, and it's rapid

spread. (Not to mention the " novel " structure.)

The question is how much more lethal the second wave will be, and when it will

hit.

....and, heaven forbid, the possibly even worse, third and fourth waves.

But technically, from the rules when they made that scale, this was a full

fledged Pandemic last week.