Vigilance crucial as influenza A(H1N1) virus continues to evolve – Ban
The United Nations has no plans to raise the global alert level on the influenza A(H1N1) virus to Phase 6 at this time, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, while stressing the need for vigilance and preparedness as the outbreak continues to evolve.
“There is still much that is not known about this new strain and the dangers it poses. We should not allow intense media coverage to alarm us. At the same time, we should avoid a false sense of security if such coverage declines,” Mr. Ban told Member States today as he briefed them on the current situation.
“In the face of uncertainty, we must be vigilant,” he added. “We must pay close attention to the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO).”
The latest update from WHO, as of 18:00 GMT today, says that 21 countries have officially reported 1085 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection.
Mexico has reported 590 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths, while the United States has reported 286 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
Countries that have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths are Austria (1), Canada (101), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (54), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (18).
WHO’s pandemic alert still remains at Phase 5 – on a six-level warning scale – meaning that sustained human to human transmission had been confirmed, with widespread community outbreaks in at least two countries in one WHO region.
Mr. Ban informed Member States that WHO has no plan to raise the alert level to 6 at this time, but the agency continues to warn that a pandemic is possible. He added that even if WHO does declare Phase 6 – a pandemic – that would be a statement about the geographic spread of the virus, not its severity.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, addressing the meeting by video from Geneva, noted that the criteria for moving to Phase 6 will be met when “we see, in one region outside North America, clear evidence of community-level transmission.”
The agency has dispatched around 3 million doses of flu medicine to some 70 countries, mainly in the developing world, said Ms. Chan. But this is not sufficient and WHO is working to get more doses.
The Secretary-General pointed out that the current situation is yet another reminder that viruses do not respect national borders, and that transmission in one country or region can threaten people all over the world. “Our response must reflect enlightened self-interest and global solidarity at its best. This is a test for us all,” he stated.
Fortunately, the world is better prepared than ever to deal with a pandemic, including with a UN system that has done a “tremendous” amount to strengthen its readiness, he noted.
In 2006, following concerns about a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, the UN system started to prepare for a possible pandemic. Working under a steering committee chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General, a small coordination unit brought together the Secretariat, the World Bank and a broad range of agencies, funds and programmes.
The initiative, which also involved Governments, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, defense forces, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and humanitarian organizations, aims to ensure that the UN supports local and national authorities as they seek to meet the urgent health needs of their people.
It also seeks to ensure that there is little or no interruption in the critical services the UN provides, and to ensure the safety and security of the world body’s staff and assets.
“The bottom line is this: if and when the world faces a severe influenza pandemic, the UN system is ready,” Mr. Ban stated.
He added that, in two weeks from now in Geneva, he intends to bring donors and the private sector together to explore how they all can contribute to H1N1 mitigation efforts.
General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto stressed that “our response must be swift but measured. Our messages should be clear and fact-based.
“We must avoid over-reaction that will disrupt lives even further in these times already fraught with serious problems affecting virtually all nations.”
At a news conference in New York, David Nabarro, Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza, emphasized that public awareness about the H1N1 virus was crucial to prevent its spread. WHO, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other bodies were informing the public and other professionals through ad campaigns, leaflets, web tools and word of mouth, but public outreach was still difficult in many areas.
“We have learned that we have to sometimes be repetitive almost in a rather boring way with some key message, for example, about personal hygiene,” he stated. Despite repeated warnings, many people still failed to wash their hands frequently, and to refrain from unnecessary handshaking and kissing.
Meanwhile, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today again urged national authorities and farmers to carefully monitor pigs and investigate any possible occurrences of flu-like symptoms in domestic animals, after the H1N1 virus was found to be transmitted by a human to pigs in Canada.
“The human-to-animal transmission that occurred in Canada does not come as a surprise as influenza viruses are capable of transmitting from humans to animals,” FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech said.
“The Canadian event should therefore not be a matter of panic, but it should remind us of the human-animal link in virus transmission on which we definitely need to keep an eye.”