Monday, April 27, 2009

WHO raises pandemic alert to phase 4 [update 7:15 p.m.CST]

WHO raises pandemic alert to phase 4 [updated 7:15 p.m.CST]
(CIDRAP News)

Robert Roos * News Editor

Editor's note: Includes two new sections, on phase change considerations and on possible impact.

Apr 27, 2009 (CIDRAP News) – The World Health Organization (WHO) today raised its official pandemic alert level from the current phase 3 to phase 4 on its 6-phase scale, saying the newly identified swine influenza virus has made a pandemic more likely but not inevitable.
"We think we have taken a step in that [pandemic] direction, but a pandemic is not considered inevitable at this time," said Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's assistant director-general for health security and environment, at a press conference from Geneva.

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