World Health Organization (WHO) warns swine flu virus may re-emerge in more severe form - 6 May 2009  
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World Health Organization (WHO) warns swine flu virus may re-emerge in more severe form.

As the number of confirmed cases exceeds 1,124 across 21 countries on four continents, the United States declared a public health emergency, and WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan warned of a second surge of the swine flu virus.

She stated, “If it's going to happen, it would be the biggest of all outbreaks the world has faced in the 21st century. This situation can change, not because we are overestimating or underestimating the situation, but simply because influenza viruses are constantly changing in unpredictable ways.”

Supreme Master Television asked World Health Organization Technical Officer Hayatee Hasan about the present and future of the swine flu, also known as influenza A H1N1.

Supreme Master TV :What is the potential for this epidemic to spread to a pandemic?

Hayatee Hasan – World Health Organization spokesperson in Geneva (F):
A pandemic is imminent. We are moving towards a pandemic but we don’t know exactly when it will happen. And like I said we have moved from phase 4 to phase 5.

Supreme Master TV :
um hum, That’s pretty high.

Hayatee Hasan (F): Out of 6, the reason being there is a lot of uncertainty about the virus. We still do not know a lot about the virus. We don't know its full characteristics, how the disease is spread. And influenza A viruses or flu biruses are notoriously known as one of the viruses that mutates frequently. So there is always a risk that the virus may spread exponentially. 


VOICE: After Canada found an infected factory farm worker had transferred the virus back to pigs, thus increasing chances for it to mutate into a new viral form that could re-infect humans, WHO food safety scientist Peter Ben Embarek urged for vigilance in monitoring animal populations for signs of a new flu. A total of 20 countries have decided to ban importation of pigs and pork products to protect their populations. How was it determined that it came from pigs?
 
Supreme Master TV : How was it determined that it came from pigs?

Hayatee Hasan (F): Because it has been documented that this influenza A H1N1 is known to circulate in pigs. Now the influenza A H1N1 virus is circulating among humans.

Supreme Master TV :Do you expect to find more cases?

Hayatee Hasan (F): Yes, we do.

VOICE:
We thank Technical Officer Hasan, the World Health Organization and all others for your thorough actions to understand and halt the spread of this virus. May all people adopt the safe and sustainable vegan diet to protect themselves and society.