World Health Organization Declares Flu Pandemic
World Health Organization Declares Flu Pandemic
While the World Health Organization (WHO) today raised the pandemic A-H1N1 influenza alert to level six on a six-point scale, making this the first flu pandemic since 1968, health officials stressed that the announcement does not indicate an increase in the severity of the flu outbreak.
"Phase 6, if we call a phase 6, doesn't mean anything concerning severity, it is concerning geographic spread ... Pandemic means global, but it doesn't have any connotation of severity or mildness," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said.
"In fact, what we are seeing with this virus so far is overwhelmingly to date mild disease. So we would think that this event is really a moderate event for the time being, because the numbers are high but the disease is overwhelmingly mild," he said.
The WHO announcement is not expected to have any additional impact on the flow of pork or other food products between countries.
USMEF continues to work with U.S. trade officials to gain relief from influenza-related export restrictions imposed by China, Russia and ten other trading partners. No additional countries have suspended U.S. pork or meat exports since early May.
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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
World Health Organization Declares Flu Pandemic
While the World Health Organization (WHO) today raised the pandemic A-H1N1 influenza alert to level six on a six-point scale, making this the first flu pandemic since 1968, health officials stressed that the announcement does not indicate an increase in the severity of the flu outbreak.
"Phase 6, if we call a phase 6, doesn't mean anything concerning severity, it is concerning geographic spread ... Pandemic means global, but it doesn't have any connotation of severity or mildness," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said.
"In fact, what we are seeing with this virus so far is overwhelmingly to date mild disease. So we would think that this event is really a moderate event for the time being, because the numbers are high but the disease is overwhelmingly mild," he said.
The WHO announcement is not expected to have any additional impact on the flow of pork or other food products between countries.
USMEF continues to work with U.S. trade officials to gain relief from influenza-related export restrictions imposed by China, Russia and ten other trading partners. No additional countries have suspended U.S. pork or meat exports since early May.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.