WHO Says Swine Flu In Mexico And U.S. May Lead To Pandemic

April 25, 2009 1:49 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - The World Health Organization said on Saturday a new multi-strain of swine flu that may have killed up to 60 people in Mexico, and infected eight others in the United States, may become a pandemic.

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the same day sought to allay fears and said the WHO is not likely to declare a pandemic.

The virus in Mexico is believed to be the same one that has infected six people in California and two in Texas.

"It has pandemic potential," Margaret Chan, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), was quoted by the Washington Post as saying during a telephone briefing.

"We do not yet have a complete picture of the epidemiology or the risk, including possible spread beyond the currently affected areas. Nonetheless, in the assessment of WHO this is serious situation that must be watched very carefully," she added.

Dr. Richard Besser, acting CDC director, told VOA the same day, "WHO is not at the point of declaring a pandemic. We are at the point of trying to learn more about this virus and understand its transmission and how to control it.

All eight confirmed cases in the U.S. had mild Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), with only one requiring brief hospitalization, but no deaths have been reported, according to WHO.

The international health agency said that the majority of these cases have occurred in otherwise healthy young adults. Influenza normally affects the very young and the very old, but these age groups have not been heavily affected in Mexico, it added.

Human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, which has been identified in seven confirmed cases in Mexico, has forced the authorities in Mexican City to shut down schools, museums, libraries, theaters and other public venues.

According to the CDC, swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Outbreaks of happen regularly among pigs, but rarely in humans. It is possible for it to spread from person to person.

Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the U.S. with no deaths occurring, CDC said.