How is the World Health Organization responding to the Swine Flu crisis?

Answer 1

From WHO news conference 11 June 2009: "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 transcripts of the Press Conference can be read (or videos watched) at the WHO site, see link in related links section below. It is important to note that this does not indicate an increase in the severity, just that the criteria for Phase 6 regarding the spread of the Novel H1N1 Influenza have been met. This puts in to place additional steps by WHO and Nations' plans for control and prevention in such a widespread situation of pandemic.

---- WHO originally developed and implemented a Pandemic Preparedness Plan for the countries of the world to know how to plan for their responses to a situation such as the one that has unfolded in 2009. At the beginning of the epidemic of Novel H1N1, the WHO asked member nations to increase reporting of influenza cases to WHO and closely monitor the spread of the cases across the globe. They are working with all these nations to plan for vaccine development, treatment protocol, guidelines for prevention, laboratory testing equipment and supplies and recommendation for use, and distribution of data analysis and guidelines for use to help control and prevent morbidity and mortality from this viral pandemic.

Early in the process of response to the new flu, the World Health Organization convened an emergency expert panel to consider whether to declare the outbreak an international public health emergency on Saturday and have asked countries around the world to step up reporting and surveillance of the disease. They say cases of Swine Flu in Mexico and the United States represent "a serious situation" that could become a pandemic. They have declared the outbreak of the previously unknown virus "a public health emergency of international concern and it warrants an urgent assessment of its potential to spark the first influenza pandemic in 41 years. The World Health Organization raised the world pandemic flu alert from 3 to 4.

Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to cause "community-level outbreaks." The ability to cause sustained disease outbreaks in a community marks a significant upwards shift in the risk for a pandemic. Any country that suspects or has verified such an event should urgently consult with WHO so that the situation can be jointly assessed and a decision made by the affected country if implementation of a rapid pandemic containment operation is warranted. Phase 4 indicates a significant increase in risk of a pandemic but does not necessarily mean that a pandemic is a forgone conclusion. The World Health Organization said the outbreak is moving closer to becoming a full-scale pandemic and on Wednesday 4/29 increased its pandemic alert to level 5, one step away from a worldwide pandemic, meaning a "pandemic is imminent."

Click on the link in the related links section below to go directly to the WHO website for more information about their programs, plans, recommendations, findings, and other ongoing activities during the pandemic.