WHO: Spread of swine flu inevitable

By Sheilah Downey

As the swine flu virus races with "unprecedented speed" throughout the world, the World Health Organization announced they will discontinue the global tables showing the numbers of swine flu cases and instead urge countries to closely monitor unusual events.

In a statement released today, the WHO said confirmation of swine flu cases is making it "extremely difficult, if not impossible" for countries to confirm laboratory test results of the H1N1 virus.

The Organization instead urges countries to be on the look out for:

  * clusters of cases of severe or fatal pandemic H1N1 virus infections

  * clusters of respiratory illness requiring hospitalization

  * unexplained or unusual clinical patterns associated with serious or fatal cases

  * unexpected changes in patterns of transmission

  * spikes of absenteeism from schools or workplaces

  * surge in emergency room visits

The WHO stated that when hospitals are having difficulty coping with cases it may be a signal of a "severe clinical picture."

Regular updates will be provided describing the situation only in newly affected countries, stated the WHO, in an effort to document the spread of the disease.

Countries who are already experiencing community-wide swine flu cases are no longer required to submit regular cases and deaths to the WHO. Surveillance of the virus will shift to reporting against the established indicators for the monitoring of seasonal flu activity.