World Health Organization Confirms Swine Flu Outbreak in U.S.

GENEVA — The World Health Organization (WHO) voiced concern today at a confirmed outbreak of swine flu in the United States and what it called more than 800 human “influenza-like” cases in Mexico, including about 60 deaths.

[efoods]The United Nations agency said it had activated its Strategic Health Operations Centre (SHOC), its command and control centre for acute public health events, but could not say whether it was considering issuing a travel advisory.

U.S. public health officials said on Thursday that seven people had been diagnosed with a new kind of swine flu in California and Texas, while Mexican authorities were due to announce test results later today, WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said in Geneva. “We are in daily contact with U.S., Canadian and Mexican authorities,” Mr. Hartl added.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the virus was a never-before-seen mixture of viruses typical among pigs, birds and humans. All seven American patients have recovered.

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This article was posted: Friday, April 24, 2009 at 10:34 am

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