It's Official
"The world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic." With these words, Margaret Chan, MD, MPH, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), raised the influenza pandemic alert to phase 6, the highest level.
With almost 30,000 confirmed cases reported in 74 countries, and direct human-to-human transmission no longer clear in some countries, H1N1 has met the scientific criteria for a pandemic. As of today, the U.S. has reported 13,217 cases of H1N1 and 27 deaths.
"We are in the earliest days of the pandemic. The virus is spreading under a close and careful watch," Dr. Chan told the media.
Dr. Chan said we can expect moderate severity in the initial stages of the pandemic. She noted many infected with H1N1 make a full recovery.
The WHO is communicating with influenza vaccine manufacturers, who should wrap up seasonal flu vaccine production in the next couple weeks, and be able to focus on H1N1 vaccine production.