WHO Warns Swine Flu Outbreak Could become Worldwide Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) has put the world on alert and is urging countries globally to boost up their surveillance of flu-like symptoms and pneumonia. The swine flu has pandemic potential because so little is known about the disease or it’s prevention and it is spreading rapidly.

From Geneva on Saturday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said:

“It has pandemic potential because it is infecting people. However, we cannot say on the basis of currently available laboratory, epidemiological and clinical evidence whether or not it will indeed cause a pandemic.”

New possible outbreaks are being investigated in Kansas (2 cases confirmed) in the U.S. and the situation in Mexico is worsening to the point where the Mexican government has empowered the health department to isolate patients and actively inspect homes of those afflicted with the disease.

New York – The immediate relatives of students at the Queens School possibly affected by the swine flu have also reported flu-like symptoms.

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5. ALERT: Official U.S. Swine Flu Outbreak Notice Issued by CDC