WHO declares flu pandemic
Published: 11 June 2009
On 11 June 2009 the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised its assessment of the threat of a flu pandemic to level 6.
It means the swine flu virus is spreading in at least two regions of the world with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile. The move does not necessarily mean the virus is causing more severe illness or more deaths.
The current pandemic seems to be moderate and causing mild illness in most people.
The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April. It has since spread to 74 countries. Official reports say there have been 28,000 cases globally and 141 deaths and figures are rising daily. It is the first flu pandemic in 40 years - the last in 1968 with Hong Kong flu killed about one million people.
Click here for our Pandemic information page.
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