The WHO has lifted the alert status to level six

Jun 12, 2009 06:36 GMT  ·  By
The WHO announced yesterday that the swine influenza outbreak had become a pandemic
   The WHO announced yesterday that the swine influenza outbreak had become a pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced yesterday that it had lifted the warning level on the swine influenza outbreak from five to a maximum of six, which means that the contagion is now officially classified as a pandemic, the first since 1968. Thus far, the disease has spread in some 74 countries, and the WHO has reports that 28,774 people are infected with the H1N1 virus, and that the death toll currently stands at 144. However, both numbers could be bigger in reality, officials say, because not all cases are properly identified and reported.

The pandemic is classified as moderate, which means that its aggressiveness is not too great. Still, health officials warn, governments must stay prepared and alert, because this strain has the potential to rapidly mutate into a more deadly form, especially in the equatorial and tropical regions, where it lingers all year around. In temperate climates, such as that of Europe, South and North America, Japan, and parts of Asia and Australia, the flu only breaks out during specific months, and authorities are better prepared at that time.

“I have conferred with leading influenza experts, virologists, and public health officials. In line with procedures set out in the International Health Regulations, I have sought guidance and advice from an Emergency Committee established for this purpose. On the basis of available evidence, and these expert assessments of the evidence, the scientific criteria for an influenza pandemic have been met. I have therefore decided to raise the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6. The world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic,” the WHO Director General, Margaret Chan, said in a press conference.

“Countries should prepare to see cases, or the further spread of cases, in the near future. Countries where outbreaks appear to have peaked should prepare for a second wave of infection. Guidance on specific protective and precautionary measures has been sent to ministries of health in all countries. Countries with no or only a few cases should remain vigilant. Influenza pandemics, whether moderate or severe, are remarkable events because of the almost universal susceptibility of the world’s population to infection.” she also added.

The official underlined the necessity for governments to remain on the alert as to this issue, and not consider the outbreak over. In most such cases, after the first wave of infections, a second, larger one occurs, which is usually met with less determination because the resources used for the first one have been assigned elsewhere. Additionally, in future infection waves, health experts could be facing a new and improved viral strain, which could become even more damaging to the human body, and harder to kill.