Geneva:
The World Health Organisation has raised its pandemic alert for swine flu to the second highest level, meaning that it believes a global outbreak of the disease is imminent.
The health body has said the phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries.
Raising the pandemic alert phase could entail issuing specific recommendations to countries on how to halt the disease. So far, WHO has only urged governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan called the outbreak a public health emergency of "pandemic potential" because the virus can pass from human to human.
The decision could lead the global body to recommend additional measures to combat the outbreak, including asking vaccine manufacturers to switch production from seasonal flu vaccines to a pandemic vaccine.
WHO has confirmed human cases of swine flu in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand and Spain. Mexico and the US have reported deaths.
After the decision, Mexican health officials said they were doing their part to meet obligations stemming from the WHO's move to raise its alert level for swine flu to the second highest grade.
In Mexico, where the flu was believed to have originated, officials said on Wednesday that the disease was now confirmed or suspected in 159 deaths, and nearly 2,500 illnesses.
Earlier on Wednesday, the WHO Director-General Margaret Chan declared the phase five alert after consulting with flu experts from around the world.
She urged governments and companies to step up their activities in preparation for a full outbreak, adding that the world was better prepared than ever before to tackle an epidemic.
The director of Mexico's National Centre for Epidemiological Research, Miguel Angel Lezama said Mexico had already adopted many of the measures recommended under a phase five alert.
The health body has said the phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries.
Raising the pandemic alert phase could entail issuing specific recommendations to countries on how to halt the disease. So far, WHO has only urged governments to step up their surveillance of suspicious outbreaks.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan called the outbreak a public health emergency of "pandemic potential" because the virus can pass from human to human.
The decision could lead the global body to recommend additional measures to combat the outbreak, including asking vaccine manufacturers to switch production from seasonal flu vaccines to a pandemic vaccine.
WHO has confirmed human cases of swine flu in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand and Spain. Mexico and the US have reported deaths.
After the decision, Mexican health officials said they were doing their part to meet obligations stemming from the WHO's move to raise its alert level for swine flu to the second highest grade.
In Mexico, where the flu was believed to have originated, officials said on Wednesday that the disease was now confirmed or suspected in 159 deaths, and nearly 2,500 illnesses.
Earlier on Wednesday, the WHO Director-General Margaret Chan declared the phase five alert after consulting with flu experts from around the world.
She urged governments and companies to step up their activities in preparation for a full outbreak, adding that the world was better prepared than ever before to tackle an epidemic.
The director of Mexico's National Centre for Epidemiological Research, Miguel Angel Lezama said Mexico had already adopted many of the measures recommended under a phase five alert.
