When it comes to a pandemic, the primary consideration for governments across the globe is not the health and safety of it’s citizens, but rather is focused almost exclusively on the economic impact that a pandemic might have..isn’t that comforting to know?

Governments around the world rushed to reduce the impact of a possible flu pandemic on Monday, as a virus that has killed 103 people in Mexico and spread to the United States and Canada also reached Europe.

While the virus has so far killed no one outside Mexico, it has proved it can spread quickly between humans, raising fears that the world may be facing the flu pandemic that scientists say is long overdue.

The World Health Organization said its emergency committee could decide to raise its pandemic alert level, currently at 3 on a scale of 1 to 6, to phase 4 or 5. The move would show the WHO believes that large outbreaks are possible.

The U.S. government has already declared a public health emergency and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday urged caution over travel to Mexico, adding that Washington was taking the outbreak “very seriously”.

The European Union urged citizens to avoid non-essential travel to areas affected by swine flu.

Source/Full Story:: Reuters

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