WHO: Swine flu an international health emergency
April 26th, 2009 - 1:43 pm ICT by adminGENEVA (BNO NEWS) – The outbreaks of swine flu in the United States and Mexico are a public health emergency of international concern, the World Health Organization said on Saturday evening.
On Saturday afternoon, the World Health Organization held its first emergency meeting of the Emergency Committee to assess the situation and advise the Director-General on appropriate responses.
“After reviewing available data on the current situation, Committee members identified a number of gaps in knowledge about the clinical features, epidemiology, and virology of reported cases and the appropriate responses,” a statement read.
The Emergency Committee advised the Director-General that answers to several specific questions were needed to facilitate its work. Because the information on the disease is scare, it is currently not changing its pandemic alert level.
Nevertheless, the Committee has agreed that the current situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. Concerning public health measures, in line with the Regulations the Director-General is recommending, on the advice of the Committee, that all countries intensify surveillance for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.
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