Swine flu 'being spread by humans'
World Health Organisation raises level of influenza pandemic alert to phase four after swine flu outbreak in Mexico
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The first cases of swine flu, the disease that has killed more almost 150 people in Mexico, have been confirmed in the UK. |  |
Tuesday, 28, Apr 2009 06:05
The World Health Organisation says it believes the swine flu virus that is thought to have killed more than 150 people in Mexico is being spread by human-to-human transmission.
Earlier the WHO raised its level of influenza pandemic alert to phase four, one phase away from widespread human infection.
The virus has killed more than 150 people in the North American country and spread north of the border to the United States and Canada; while travellers have brought the virus to Britain and Spain.
A WHO emergency committee revealed late on Monday that it was raising its pandemic alert.
"The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable," a statement explained.
"Given the widespread presence of the virus, the director-general considered that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The current focus should be on mitigation measures.
"The director-general recommended not to close borders and not to restrict international travel. It was considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention."
Despite a pandemic from a deadly flu appearing closer, members of the public are being urged not to panic.
The virus is yet to claims the lives of anyone outside of Mexico, leading health professionals to speculate that an infectious agent only found locally is contributing to the death-toll.
In addition, the symptoms observed outside of Mexico are mild, with two Britons infected with the virus said to be recovering well in a Lanarkshire hospital.
"There seems to be relatively little human to human transmission outside Mexico," said Dr Iain Stephenson, consultant in infectious diseases at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and a clinical senior lecturer at the University of Leicester.
"From my understanding of talking to experts it is uncertain whether the large number of deaths is genuinely due to swine flu.
"However, if the virus was to change and adapt that it could become more virulent.
"The situation in Mexico is concerning and needs monitoring; the reassuring part is that outside Mexico the cases seem pretty mild.
"It could be that this virus peters out over the next few weeks."
But Dr Stephenson added: "Even if swine flu occurs and causes a pandemic, it does not lessen the threat of bird flu.
"Pandemics occur every 30 or 40 years, this could be one now, but there could be another in ten years, and that could be H5N1 [avian influenza]."