WHO: Preparation vital for next swine flu wave
CHINA: World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan on Friday
urged governments to prepare for a likely second wave of swine flu
cases, cautioning they will face tough decisions on how to dispense
vaccines.
"We cannot say for certain whether the worst is over or the worst is
yet to come," Chan said via videotaped address at the start of a
three-day symposium on influenza in the Asia-Pacific region.
"We need to be prepared for whatever surprises this capricious new
virus delivers next... constant random mutation is the survival
mechanism of the microbial world.
"We also need to prepare for a second or even a third wave of spread
as typically seen in past pandemics."
About 1,800 people have died since A(H1N1) influenza was first
uncovered in April, according to the latest update from the WHO issued
this week. The vast majority of those deaths have been recorded in the
Americas.
The WHO declared a global pandemic in June, and the agency now says
there are confirmed cases in more than 170 countries.
While the epidemic appears to be peaking in the southern hemisphere,
pandemic preparations should be stepped up in the northern hemisphere as
the seasonal flu season approaches, Chan said.
"Like all influenza viruses, H1N1 has the advantage of surprise on
its side," she said.
"We have the advantage of science and rational investigation on our
side, supported by ... data collection, analysis and communication that
are unprecedented in their power."
Chan said the issue of vaccine supplies needed to be tackled "head
on", as more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies around the world
scramble to produce safe and effective vaccinations.
"We need to gather advice on priority groups for initial protection,"
Chan said.
"This is one of the most difficult decisions governments around the
world will need to make, especially as we know that supplies will be
extremely limited for some months to come."
The WHO said earlier this week that countries in the northern
hemisphere alone had ordered more than one billion doses of swine flu
vaccine, sparking warnings about shortages, given the intense demand and
production delays. BEIJING, Friday, AFP |