The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the severity of the H1N1 influenza in some areas has not diminished, and it is still too early to announce that the peak period of H1N1 has passed.
Keiji Fukuda, special advisor to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, said at a press conference in Geneva on the 24th that the number of H1N1 cases is still increasing in African countries such as Mauritius and Senegal. It is inappropriate to change the H1N1 alert level at this time.
The 15-member WHO Emergency Committee led by Australian scientist Mackenzie also suggested yesterday: "It cannot yet be said that all regions of the world have passed the peak period of H1N1. WHO needs more time and data to reach a more accurate conclusion about the spread of H1N1."
In the first half of last year, H1N1 spread from Mexico and the United States to the world within six weeks. WHO then announced in June last year that the H1N1 virus had triggered the first global flu pandemic in over 40 years.
According to WHO statistics, so far, 16,000 people have died from H1N1. However, WHO officials emphasized that this is just an approximate estimate, as it is difficult to diagnose and test every patient. The organization said that it would take one or two years after the end of the epidemic to get an accurate total number of deaths.
In comparison, seasonal flu causes 250,000 to 500,000 deaths worldwide each year, mainly among the elderly and weak. However, many of the deaths caused by H1N1 are young people and children.
WHO also warned that the H1N1 virus will continue to mutate, or may combine with the more deadly avian flu virus, becoming even more dangerous.
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