The swine flu alert level has been raised to phase 5.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert for the H1N1 swine flu to phase 5 – just one step below a full pandemic.

Director General of WHO, Dr Margaret Chan, raised the alert to phase five out of a possible six yesterday (29 April), which indicates there has been human-to-human transmission in at least two countries.

Reports state that a man in Spain, who has not recently returned from Mexico, tested positive for the H1N1 swine flu. It is presumed that he caught the virus from his girlfriend who had visited Mexico and also tested positive for swine influenza. 

Dr Chan warned that influenza pandemics need to be taken seriously “because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.”

On a more positive note, she added that the world was “better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history.”

The statement also encourages countries around the world to adopt their pandemic preparation plans and be on alert for any unusual influenza-type illness. In some countries preparation has already begun, with travel restrictions to Mexico being imposed by certain nations and face masks being ordered.

She highlighted that “heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in healthcare facilities” were all of utmost importance.

As of yesterday, nine countries have officially reported 148 cases of swine flu. At the moment, the US has reported the most confirmed cases with 91 people testing positive for the H1N1 virus. Mexico has 26 confirmed cases, seven deaths directly attributed to swine flu and 168 suspected deaths.

Austria, Canada, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Spain and the UK have all also reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths.

The first death outside of Mexico was also reported yesterday. A 23-month-old Mexican boy died in a Houston hospital after contracting the virus.

In the statement, WHO reiterated that no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders was necessary as it would hold little effectiveness for the containment of the virus.

Because the research into the H1N1 virus is still in the early stages, the potential severity of the outbreak is still unknown. Dr Chan stated: “It is possible that the full clinical spectrum of this disease goes from mild illness to severe disease. We need to continue to monitor the evolution of the situation to get the specific information and data we need to answer this question.”

For further information about swine flu, visit: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html