Flu pandemic has begun: WHO raises alert level to highest level GENEVA - The World Health Organization told its member countries today it's declaring a flu pandemic - the first in 41 years.
In a statement sent to member countries, the WHO said it decided to raise the pandemic warning level from phase 5 to 6 - its highest alert - after holding an emergency meeting with its experts.
The long-awaited pandemic decision is scientific confirmation that a new swine flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe.
It will trigger drugmakers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine and prompt governments to devote more money toward efforts to contain the virus.
"At this early stage, the pandemic can be characterized globally as being moderate in severity," WHO said in the statement.
The UN health agency urged countries not to close borders or restrict travel and trade.
The WHO said it is "in close dialogue with influenza vaccine manufacturers."
Infections from the new H1N1 swine flu virus has climbed in North America, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere.
On Wednesday, WHO said 74 countries had reported nearly 27,737 cases of swine flu, including 141 deaths.
The last pandemic - the Hong Kong flu of 1968 - killed about one million people. Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year.
This time, the WHO has stressed that most H1N1 flu cases are mild and require no treatment, but the fear is that a rash of new infections could overwhelm hospitals and health authorities, especially in poorer countries.
Still, about half of the people who have died from swine flu were previously young and healthy - people who are not usually susceptible to flu.
Swine flu is also continuing to spread during the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Normally, flu viruses disappear with warm weather, but the H1N1 flu virus is proving to be resilient.
source:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090611/health/health_un_swine_flu