The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu by one level to phase 4, two steps short of declaring a full-blown pandemic.

WHO says the phase 4 alert means sustained human to human transmission causing outbreaks in at least one country. It signals a significant increase in the risk of a global epidemic, but doesn’t mean a pandemic is inevitable.

“The pandemic phase alert should increase from Phase 3 to Phase 4,” said Dr. Keiji Fukuda, assistant director for health security and environment.

On the advice of the agency’s emergency committee meeting also agreed to continue production of seasonal flu vaccine, instead of switching to immediate manufacture of a targeted vaccine.

The group also agreed to focus on mitigating the effects of the outbreak instead of trying to contain it.

“This virus is too widespread to make containment a feasible operation,” Fukuda said. Many experts think it may be impossible to contain a flu virus already spreading in several countries.

The WHO did not recommend closing borders or restricting travel, because it would have little effect, if any, on stemming the spread of infection.

“At this time, closing of borders would not be effective at doing that,” Fukuda said.
He urged people who are ill not to travel and to seek medical attention.

Source/Full Story:: msnbc.com

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