UPDATE:Swine Flu Moves From Level 3 To Level 4 Worldwide
UPDATE:Swine Flu Moves From Level 3 To Level 4 Worldwide as the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday, April 27th, 2009, raised its pandemic alert level in response to the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico.
What exactly does that mean?
The move from level three to level four on the WHO’s six level threat scale means the world body has determined the virus is capable of significant human-to-human transmission. This means that it is a major step toward a flu pandemic, according to Dr. Keiji Fukuda, the agency’s assistant director general.
A pandemic is not considered “inevitable,” Fukuda stated…But U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano stated that the move “does indicate that we have a serious outbreak of swine flu on our hands.”
WHO confirmed 73 cases of swine flu Monday, but health officials in Scotland, California and Texas confirmed nine more, bringing the worldwide total to 81.
The total includes 40 cases in the United States, confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control. Health (CDC) officials in California confirmed four more cases and Texas adds three more in Texas. Those were not immediately added to the CDC’s total.
WHO confirmed 26 cases in Mexico, six in Canada, and one in Spain.
The total was expected to rise as more cases are confirmed, especially in Mexico, where the death toll has reached 149 deaths. All caused by the virus.
Scotland Enters Swine Flu Count
Scottish Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon stated that two cases of swine flu have been confirmed in that country. Both patients are “recovering well.”These cases have not been added in to the WHO count as yet.
US Travel Alert
The U.S. government has started urging travelers to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico because of the swine flu outbreak, and it has started distributing antiviral medications from its strategic stockpile in response to the outbreak.
For the full report on “UPDATE:Swine Flu Moves From Level 3 To Level 4 Worldwide,” go to CNN News.
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If everyone would just stay calm and keep their hands clean as possible and when they sneeze cover your mouth all of this will come to an end and sooner than later.