RSS
Home
WHO raises the alert level of Influenza A (H1N1) to a pandemic
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, center, attends with Keiji Fukuda, right, assistant
Director-General, and Anarfi Asamoa-Baah, deputy Director-General, a press conference
at the World Health Organization, WHO, headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday,
June 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
On June 11, the World Health Organization raised the alert level of Influenza A (H1N1) to become a Phase 6 pandemic. In a press statement, WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan stated, “The virus is contagious, spreading easily from one person to another, and from one country to another. As of today, nearly 30,000 confirmed cases have been reported in 74 countries. The world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic.”
Washington State has continued to see increased confirmed cases of this flu strain as well. To date, there have been 2 swine flu related deaths in this state. The first was a man in his mid 30’s from Snohomish County, and the second was a Pierce County woman in her 20’s. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently reports a total of 584 confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) within our state. Washington State Department of Health is no longer posting daily totals of confirmed cases within the state. Instead, they are providing a total every Friday for laboratory confirmed cases that result in hospitalization or death. The chart below shows the current breakdown as of June 5, 2009.
| Hospitalizations of Washington residents | 43 |
| Deaths of Washington residents | 2 |
In their June 11th news release, the Washington State Department of Health said, “State health officials briefed the state Board of Health yesterday on a plan to adopt an emergency rule to require hospitals to report when people are admitted with illnesses caused by swine flu. The Department of Health filed the rule today, and the new virus is listed as one of the state’s notifiable conditions, effective immediately.” This means that for the next 120 days, all confirmed cases on Influenza A (H1N1) will need to be reported by healthcare providers and hospitals to local public health agencies. This time frame may be extended beyond the 120 days, as well, if it is determined to be necessary.
Washington State Department of Health
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
World Health Organization (WHO)
You might also enjoy these:
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
- Diabetes Awareness Night at Safeco Field 08/26/2009
- Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Night at Safeco Field 09/01/2009
- Strike Out Leukemia Night at Safeco Field 09/02/2009
- Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk 09/12/2009
- Stop Diabetes Night at Safeco Field 09/15/2009
- Tacoma Lunch for the Cure 10/01/2009
- Susan G. Komen Foundation
- Go Red For Women Website
- Women's and Infants’ Center at Overlake
- Northwest Center for Reproductive Sciences
- Seattle Trails and Parks
- Gasworks Park - 4th of July Fireworks
- Seafair 2009
- 08/31/2009 Mariners Game - Half Price Family Night
- 09/15/2009 Mariners Game - Half Price Family Night
- 09/29/2009 Mariners Game - Half Price Family Night
- Ballard Sunday Farmers Market
- New Penguin Exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoo
- Fremont Outdoor Movies
- Summer Concert Series at Marymoor park
