In response to the cases of swine influenza A(H1N1) in Mexico, Dr. Margaret Chan, the World Health Organization's Director-General, convened a meeting of the Emergency Committee. The first meeting occurred today. Underlining gaps of knowledge about the clinical features, epidemiology, and virology of reported cases and appropriate responses, the Committee, while agreeing that the current situation is a public health emergency of international concern, advises that answers to several specific questions still are needed to facilitate work.
The Director General has recommended that all countries intensify surveillance for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.
In August 2007, the Presidents of the United States and Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada, announced the North American Plan for Avian and Pandemic Influenza in Montebello, Quebec as part of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). These countries are working together through the SPP to prepare for pandemics such as the one in Mexico. This comprehensive approach enhances collaborations between the countries to minimize the effect of the illness and deaths and mitigate the impact to the economy and the society.
The current state of emergency in Mexico is at phase 3, which is a pandemic alert and has no or very limited human-to-human transmission. The Center for Disease Control is working closely with the WHO. The United States has reported seven confirmed human cases of Swine Influenza A(H1N1) in the US - five in California and two in Texas. Each person suffered from influenza-like illness.
As of yesterday, the WHO reports that the government of Mexico has reported a number of influenza like illness (ILI) cases from the Federal District of Mexico, San Luis Potosi and Mexicali. In the Federal District of Mexico, of 854 cases of pneumonia from the capital 59 have died. In San Luis Potosi, there have been 24 cases of ILI with 3 deaths. In Mexicali, there have been four cases of ILI with no deaths. Eighteen of these have been laboratory confirmed in Canada as Swine Influenza A(H1N1), while twelve of these are genetically identical to the Swine Influenza A(H1N1) virus from California.
According to the WHO, the viruses have been sensitive to oseltamivir, but resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. The Swine Influenza A(H1N1) virus characterized in this outbreak have not been previously detected in pigs or humans.
The WHO and the Pan American Health Organization are sending experts to Mexico to work with health authorities there to increase field epidemiology activities, laboratory diagnosis and clinical management. WHO has acknowledged the US and Mexico in their collaborate efforts with WHO and are continuing to work toward characterizing the outbreak.
Comments
I am a bit angry at the tone and hyperbole on CNN about this outbreak. The tone, if not the characterization, by that organization is that this is a swine flue outbreak and there is a quote by New York City health Commissioner Thomas Frieden that the outbreak is "likely swine flu" and that "it's spreading from person to person". Of course, CNN has ran with that and has alarmed myself and likely the country. It's important to be alarmed, but based on the truth. Thank you Ms. Lewytzkyj for seeking the truth about this outbreak that has sickened so many people and informing about the planned and ongoing cooperation with our neighbors.
Okay, I am convinced this is a pandemic and we need to take precautions. My thoughts and prayers go out to those afflicted and praise our government and all the other countries cooperating and working together to prevent this flu from spreading further. I wish you all the best!
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