WHO decided to stop calling the disease swine flu in order to avoid confusion that the flu is caused by pigs.
Medical experts have already established that the disease spreads through human to human contact and not through pigs.
The name was changed after the agriculture industry and the UN food agency expressed concerns that the term 'swine flu' was needlessly misleading countries to order culling of pigs.
WHO will now refer to the disease using its scientific name H1N1 Influenza A.
Mexico has been the worst hit by the flu, with 159 deaths though the first victim of this new H1N1 virus, five-year-old Edgar Hernandez is now recovering.
Outside of Mexico, it's the US that has the maximum number of confirmed cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 91 cases and US President Barack Obama has reassured Americans that the authorities are doing everything to control the situation.
"I have requested for more funds to ensure supply of vaccines and equipment to tackle swine flu," Obama said.
But Mexico is feeling the brunt with streets emptier, some government offices closed, along with schools. Restaurants not also not being allowed to function because the H1N1 virus is extremely contagious.
For some reason and scientists still don't know exactly why cases outside Mexico have been milder than in the country.
Till now nine countries have been affected and the total number of confirmed cases outside Mexico is 148. The countries include the United States, Mexico, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Israel, and Austria.
India is not on the list but the WHO is watching new cases of flu in Spain.
"It will be declatred Level 6 pandemic, if one more country is hit by swine flu," Dr Poonam Khetrapal, Regional Director, WHO, said.
No comments:
Post a Comment