“Pandemic flu.
An epidemic of H1N1), also circulated.
On Alert
The World Health Organization (WHO) constantly monitors flu cases throughout the world, relying on information from a wide network of sources, including government health agencies, university scientists, and international aid organizations.
WHO has developed a system of identifying where the world stands with regard to pandemic flu. The system has six phases:
- Phase 1 — No new influenza virus has been found in people or animals.
- Phase 2 — New virus has appeared in animals, but no human cases.
- Phase 3 — A new strain of animal influenza virus infects humans, but there have not been human-to-human infections.
- Phase 4 — The new virus passes from person to person, but transmission is limited and confined to a certain location.
- Phase 5 — There is frequent transmission of the virus between people in a particular place, but it hasn’t spread to the rest of the world.
- Phase 6 — Pandemic. The virus is widespread worldwide.
We are currently in phase 3, which marks the beginning of the “pandemic alert period,” because of what has been developing with avian influenza virus H5N1.
It’s possible that the H5N1 will turn into a human influenza virus. But if it does, it may never be contagious enough to spark a pandemic. Or a virulent new strain may be contained before it can spread far.
The world waits, watches, and tries to prepare.