H1N1 influenza pandemic updates from the World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a series of updates about what they are calling the H1N1 influenza pandemic.

WHO updates included information about steps that schools can take to minimize the spread of H1N1, as well as general information about preparing for a second wave of outbreak.

According to the WHO website, “Experience to date has demonstrated the role of schools in amplifying transmission of the pandemic virus, both within schools and into the wider community. While outbreaks in schools are clearly an important dimension of the current pandemic, no single measure can stop or limit transmission in schools, which provide multiple opportunities for spread of the virus.”

Instead of a single solution, WHO recommends that in addition to measures taken by national and local authorities, all students, teachers, and staff who feel unwell should stay home. And, in case there is incidence of illness at school, there should be plans in place to isolate the illness.

The primary health benefit of proactive measures like these is “slowing down the spread of an outbreak within a given area and thus flattening the peak of infections. This benefit becomes especially important when the number of people requiring medical care at the peak of the pandemic threatens to saturate or overwhelm health care capacity. By slowing the speed of spread, school closure can also buy some time as countries intensify preparedness measures or build up supplies of vaccines, antiviral drugs, and other interventions.”

For more information about school measures and the H1N1 influenza pandemic, read more on the WHO website here: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/

World Health Organization declares Swine Flu pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the Swine Flu pandemic warning level from 5 to 6 on Thursday, June 11, according to the Associated Press. The global flu is reportedly the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. WHO Chief Dr. Margaret Chan is expected to make a statement about the pandemic on Thursday.

WHO said in a statement that, "At this early stage, the pandemic can be characterized globally as being moderate in severity." The organization also told member countries that it was talking with flu vaccine makers and believes the "firms could work '"to ensure the largest possible supply of pandemic vaccine in the months to come.'"

In the meantime, Swine flu in continuing to spread in the northern hemisphere. The last pandemic, the Hong Kong flu of 1968, killed about 1 million people. Some health experts feel the current pandemic warning should have been declared earlier; however, others fear that would have caused widespread panic. "Raising the epidemic alert to the highest level will almost certainly spark some panic about spread of swine flu," according to the Associated Press article "WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years."

Though some countries are responding more aggressively, representatives from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, "the move would not change how the U.S. tackled swine flu." So far, in the U.S., there have been "13,000 cases and at least 27 deaths from swine flu."

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>> Read the original article from the Associated Press, "WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years"