Alert level raised as flu pandemic nears

Director General of the organisation Dr Margaret Chan said that, on the positive side, the world was better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history.

"Preparedness measures taken because of the threat from avian influenza were an investment, and there was now benefit from that investment," she said.

"For the first time in history, we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real time," she added.

"I would like to thank countries who are making the results of their investigations publicly available, this helps us understand the disease."

She said new diseases by definition were poorly understood.

"Influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour," she said.

"WHO and health authorities in affected countries will not have all the answers immediately, but we will get them."

Dr Chan said the results of ongoing WHO assessments would be issued as public health advice and made publicly available.

"All countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans," she said.

"Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.

"At this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities.

"This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharmaceutical industry, and the business community, that certain actions now should be undertaken with increased urgency and accelerated pace."

She said she had reached out to organisations, including the World Bank to mobilise resources and to companies manufacturing antiviral drugs to assess capacity and all options for ramping up production, and also to influenza vaccine manufacturers that could contribute to the production of a pandemic vaccine.

"The biggest problem, the biggest question right now, is this, how severe will the pandemic be?" she said.

"It is possible that the full clinical spectrum of this disease goes from mild illness to severe disease, but we need to continue to monitor its evolution and get more specific data and information to answer more precisely this question.

"But we know from past experience... that influenza may cause mild disease in affluent societies, in affluent countries, but more severe disease with higher mortality in developing countries."

Three new people were confirmed as having the illness today, including a 12-year-old girl.

The youngster, from Torbay in Devon, a 41-year-old woman from Redditch, Worcestershire, and a 22-year-old man from north west London, all contracted the disease after recent visits to Mexico.

Britain's first confirmed victims, Iain and Dawn Askham, of Polmont, near Falkirk, were still being treated in hospital today after falling ill on their return from honeymoon.

The girl was on the same flight back to the UK as the newlyweds.

A new public health campaign will begin tomorrow, with newspapers, television and radio carrying adverts warning people about swine flu and how to help prevent it spreading.

An information line providing advice will also start operation tomorrow, so the public can call 0800 151 3513 for recorded details about the virus.

Stockpiles of anti-viral drugs, currently enough to cover 33 million people, are being increased to provide for 50 million people.

Surgical masks with respirators will be produced for frontline NHS staff.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) will monitor passengers on flights coming from affected areas and airlines will have to keep a record of travellers beyond the normal 24-hour period.

At the 12-year-old girl's school today anxious parents flocked to the site to check on their children.

Many parents at Paignton Community and Sports College were frustrated they were not aware of the outbreak until Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed the latest infections in the House of Commons earlier today.

The school will be closed until May 11.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said the HPA had identified that the girl had been in close contact with 50 fellow pupils and others.

"Anti-virals have been given to 230 pupils - the whole of her school year - as a precautionary measure.

The little girl involved is doing fine," Mr Johnson said.

A statement issued by Torbay NHS Care Trust said the young girl has already responded well to treatment and is in isolation at home.

Mr Johnson said it was inevitable there would be more confirmed cases of the disease.

"Our philosophy has to be to hope for the best but absolutely prepare for the worst," he said.

In the UK 76 people were being tested for swine flu, with 20 possible cases in Wales and 32 in Scotland.

Those in Scotland included a second couple who became ill after returning from a Mexico honeymoon.

Pete and Jenny Marshall said they had been told to stay in their house in Edinburgh, along with friend Gemma OBrien, as they wait to find out if they have contracted the virus.

Other countries with confirmed cases of swine flu are Mexico, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Spain and Israel.

In the US, government officials said swine flu killed a 23-month-old Mexican in Houston, Texas.

The child's death was the first to be reported outside Mexico.