Swine Flu is Currently a Phase 3 Global Outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently assessing the Swine Flu situation, as well as their plan to battle the outbreak. The WHO defines the phases of pandemic influenza to be the following:

Phase 1-3: Predominantly Animal Infections.

In these phases, the influenza virus is contained, for the most part, to the animal population, in so-called "Animal to Animal" infections. Animal to Human infections can follow, with limited Human to Human infections. The majority of human infections in this phase occur because of contact with the infected animals, or because of contact with someone who has had contact with the infected animals.

Phase 4: Sustained Human To Human

This phase marks what is known as "community-level outbreaks," meaning the Human to Human infections become more widespread without the virus diminishing in strength or dying out. This phase is decidedly more dangerous than Phases 1-3, as the threat of pandemic is much higher if the infection has already spread throughout a locale.

Phase 5-6: Pandemic

Phase 5 marks the spread of the virus to 2 countries within 1 WHO-designated region, and is the strongest signal that a global pandemic is imminent. Phase 6 is the global pandemic itself, meaning that community-level outbreaks are seen in at least 1 other country in a different WHO region, in addition to the ones used to those defined in Phase 5. At this point, the organization of strategy to battle the virus will have been underway, and the treatment should be in full swing.

At this point in the Swine Flu battle, we are still at Phases 1-3, without any confirmed community-level outbreaks. The WHO is keeping informed of the monitored cases in New Zealand, New York, as well as all over Europe and Asia, and is preparing for the possibility of an upgrade and need for immediate treatment.

Many nations--such as Russian, Taiwan, and China--are already preparing to limit the possibility of a community-level outbreak by proposing the quarantine people who may be infected. Other nations are monitoring people with symptoms. Spain and New Zealand have just documented citizens who, upon returning from Mexico, developed symptoms of the Swine Flu. These people have been hospitalized and are currently under observation. Narita Airport in Tokyo is currently testing the temperature of anyone arriving off a plane from Mexico.

Symptoms of Swine Flu include fever, cough, and sore throat. Some nations are recommending that anyone with a fever of over 37.8 C (100 F) go straight to a hospital, in order to guard against the virus spreading further and the pandemic threat growing.

"Current WHO phase of pandemic alert", www.who.int

Frank Jordans, "Swine Flu Fears Prompt Quarantine Plans, Pork Bans", www.huffingtonpost.com