Lingle: WHO discussing raising alert to level 6
The Associated Press
(AP) — HONOLULU – Gov. Linda Lingle says the World Health Organization is considering raising the pandemic alert level to phase 6, the highest level indicating a global outbreak of the swine flu.
Lingle says the possible move was discussed Friday on a conference call with federal and state health officials.
She says it is not an indication that the outbreak is more severe, or more people are getting sick or dying. It means the geographic distribution of the virus has widened.
Maj. Gen. Robert G.F. Lee, Hawaii’s adjutant general and head of state civil defense, says the alert level could be changed this weekend.
WHO officials Thursday said there were no indications in the past day that would prompt the U.N. body to raise the alert further.
Then we have this from Reuters
WRAPUP 6-Mexico sees flu outbreak stabilizing, country shut.
* Mexico outbreak may not be as severe as feared, US says
* Hong Kong hotel sealed off after flu case found
* WHO says “no doubt” vaccine possible (Recasts lead, adds Hong Kong hotel, Obama)
By Alistair Bell
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico voiced hope Friday it might be getting control of an outbreak of a new flu strain that has killed up to 176 people there, shut down large parts of the country and raised fears of a global epidemic.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Mexico’s outbreak of the new H1N1 swine flu virus may not be as severe as it looked at first, citing many mild cases that were not immediately noticed.
Worldwide, 13 countries have confirmed cases. Almost all infections outside Mexico have been mild, and only a handful of patients have required hospital treatment.
In Mexico, many offices and businesses were closed for a five-day break to help slow the spread of the disease. The capital’s mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, said emergency campaigns against the virus were bringing results.
“Individuals and families have been taking these measures very seriously and as a result we have had timely and early detection of cases of respiratory illnesses that could be of this type. This has led us to a situation where the numbers are getting better every day,” he said.
Swine Flu May Merge With Other Flu Viruses, CDC Says
By Tom Randall
May 3 (Bloomberg) — Swine flu’s potential to reconfigure its genetic material and become more deadly is a “major concern,” said Anne Schuchat, a scientist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The prospect of what is called reassortment is keeping Schuchat and health officials worldwide on the alert even as the newest outbreak has proved itself to be relatively mild outside Mexico, where 19 of the 20 confirmed deaths were reported. Human cases of the disease have been confirmed in 30 U.S. states and 19 countries, according to the CDC and the World Health Organization, a global agency that may declare a pandemic. Read Article
Swine flu goes person-to-pig; could it jump back?
By MARGIE MASON, AP Medical Writer Margie Mason, Ap Medical Writer – Sun May 3, 5:55 pm ET
MEXICO CITY – Now that the swine flu virus has passed from a farmworker to pigs, could it jump back to people? The question is important, because crossing species again could make it more deadly.
The never-before-seen virus was created when genes from pig, bird and human viruses mixed together inside a pig. Experts fear the virus that has gone from humans back into pigs in at least one case could mutate further before crossing back into humans again. But no one can predict what will happen. Read Article