World Health Organization raises its level of pandemic alert based on swine influenza

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current Phase 3 to Phase 4, indicating the likelihood of a pandemic has increased but is not inevitable.
The WHO committee issued the notice after considering available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.
“Given the widespread presence of the virus, the Director-General considered that containment of the outbreak is not feasible,” a WHO bulletin says. “The current focus should be on mitigation measures.”
The WHO recommended not to close borders and not to restrict international travel. “It [is] considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.”
Public health organizations in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom have each issued travel advisories not to travel to Mexico unless absolutely necessary.
In Mexico, 149 people have died of the illness, which includes symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills and fatigue. Severe manifestations of the illness can lead to diarrhea and vomiting, pneumonia and death.
Mexico has shut down its schools for a week in an attempt to contain the spread of the influenza. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 64 cases of swine flu in the United States.
The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that six cases of human swine influenza have been reported in Canada to date.