cHeroKee
06-09-2009, 10:11 AM
WHO getting close to declaring flu pandemic (http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKTRE5583VS20090609?rpc=401&)
Tue Jun 9, 2009 4:55pm BST
GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation said Tuesday it was getting close to declaring a full-blown pandemic caused by the H1N1 virus, which has infected more than 26,500 people in 73 countries.
Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, voiced concern at the sustained spread of the new strain in countries including Australia following major outbreaks in North America. Confirmed community spread in a second region would trigger moving to phase 6 from phase 5 on its 6-level pandemic alert scale.
Fukuda, asked whether there was any doubt that a pandemic was under way, told a weekly teleconference: "We are really getting very close to that."
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay:editing by Andrew Dobbie)
Tue Jun 9, 2009 4:55pm BST
GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation said Tuesday it was getting close to declaring a full-blown pandemic caused by the H1N1 virus, which has infected more than 26,500 people in 73 countries.
Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, voiced concern at the sustained spread of the new strain in countries including Australia following major outbreaks in North America. Confirmed community spread in a second region would trigger moving to phase 6 from phase 5 on its 6-level pandemic alert scale.
Fukuda, asked whether there was any doubt that a pandemic was under way, told a weekly teleconference: "We are really getting very close to that."
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay:editing by Andrew Dobbie)