H1N1

WHO declares H1N1 'pandemic', Hong Kong closes schools

Article published on the 2009-06-11 Latest update 2009-06-11 14:17 TU

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan at the 62nd World Health Assembly at the UN in Geneva, 18 May, 2009.
(Photo: Reuters)

The World Health Organisation on Thursday declared H1N1 - also called "swine flu" - a pandemic. It raised the disease's alert level to six, the maximum.

Thursday’s meeting was called a day after WHO chief, Margaret Chan held a teleconference with the worst hit countries to determine if there was "undisputable" evidence that the virus was spreading locally.

On Wednesday, the WHO reported 27,737 cases in a total of 74 countries. 141 people have died from the virus.

Australia has reported 39 new cases, bringing the total to 1,263. Four of the victims are in intensive care. Most of the cases are in the State of Victoria, where there have been numerous cases of domestic transmission. Domestic transmission occurs when the virus spreads within a community, rather than from people from overseas.

WHO chief Margaret Chan said she needed further evidence that the virus is spreading locally before declaring a pandemic. A pandemic is declared when there is large scale transmission between humans in at least 2 regions of the world.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, authorities on Thursday closed all primary schools for two weeks. 12 pupils at a secondary school had been found to have contracted H1N1. 

It was the first cluster of cases of the disease to be found in Hong Kong wherein the patients did not contract it overseas.