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WHO elevates Flu warning

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
Swine influenza

The Emergency Committee, established in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), held its second meeting on 27 April 2009.

The Committee considered available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The Committee also considered reports of possible spread to additional countries.

Related link

Swine influenza

Current WHO phase of pandemic alert

International Health Regulations (IHR)

On the advice of the Committee, the WHO Director-General decided on the following.

The Director-General has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current phase 3 to phase 4.

The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable.

As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to phase 3 or raise the level of alert to another phase.

This decision was based primarily on epidemiological data demonstrating human-to-human transmission and the ability of the virus to cause community-level outbreaks.

Given the widespread presence of the virus, the Director-General considered that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The current focus should be on mitigation measures.

The Director-General recommended not to close borders and not to restrict international travel. It was considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.

The Director-General considered that production of seasonal influenza vaccine should continue at this time, subject to re-evaluation as the situation evolves. WHO will facilitate the process needed to develop a vaccine effective against A/H1N1 virus.

The Director-General stressed that all measures should conform with the purpose and scope of the International Health Regulations.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_20090427/en/index.html
 

hypocritexposer

Well-known member
This is a common sense approach, they probably do it during every "flu" season! Putting out a statement about it, well that may be a little alarmist!

US military 'monitoring' flu outbreak
Apr 27 11:55 AM US/Eastern
The US Defense Department said on Monday it was closely following the outbreak of swine flu but had no immediate plans to release anti-viral drugs from its stockpiles.

"The US military is monitoring the situation closely," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters.

Asked if the military would begin distributing anti-viral medicine such as Tamiflu and Relenza from its stockpiles, Whitman said: "I know of no plans to do so that at this point."

He said the Pentagon's priority was to protect the health of military personnel and had contingency plans in place to address such an emergency.

The Defense Department was "monitoring the health of the force to make sure we're taking the necessary precautions to be able to preserve the fighting force," he said.
 
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