WHO Officially Declares Swine Flu a Pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised its alert level for Swine Flu / H1N1 to Phase 6 (out of 6), officially classifying the outbreak as a 'global pandemic underway'.

Don't freak out just yet, though; WHO is categorizing the outbreak as 'moderate' in severity and released a statement outlining three main reasons for that categorization:
* Most people recover from infection without the need for hospitalization or medical care.
* Overall, national levels of severe illness from influenza A(H1N1) appear similar to levels seen during local seasonal influenza periods, although high levels of disease have occurred in some local areas and institutions.
* Overall, hospitals and health care systems in most countries have been able to cope with the numbers of people seeking care, although some facilities and systems have been stressed in some localities.

A key stat to keep in mind is that out of approximately 30,000 confirmed cases of Swine Flu worldwide, there have been 150 deaths. That's a death rate of about 0.5%, with many of the fatal cases including other contributing. However, the real concern about the outbreak is what happens this fall and winter, as discussed previously. Hopefully a safe vaccine will be available by then.

WHO says infected pork a concern

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that meat from pigs infected with H1N1 should not be eaten by humans and those animals should be kept out of the food supply. "Meat from sick pigs or pigs found dead should not be processed or used for human consumption under any circumstances," Jorgen Schlundt, director of WHO's Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases.

WHO clarified their stance, writing on their website, "Swine influenza has not been shown to be transmissible to people through eating properly handled and prepared pork (pig meat) or other products derived from pigs. The swine influenza virus
is killed by cooking temperatures of 160°F/70°C, corresponding to the general guidance for the preparation of pork and other meat."

Links:

WHO Swine Flu FAQ (.pdf)
CDC's Swine Flu Key Facts
Reuters WHO casts wary eye on meat...