Swine Flu May Be Named Event of International Concern

By Jason Gale

April 25 (Bloomberg) -- The World Health Organization is set to declare the deadly swine flu virus outbreak in Mexico and the U.S. a global concern, potentially prompting travel advisories, said a person familiar with the matter.

An emergency committee of the WHO in Geneva will declare the outbreak “a public health event of international concern” in a teleconference that began at 4 p.m. today, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting is confidential. In response, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan may raise the level of pandemic alert, which could lead to travel advisories aimed at curbing the disease’s spread.

Human-to-human spread of the previously unknown H1N1 swine influenza in Mexico and the U.S. is heightening concern that the virus may spark a pandemic. At least 68 people have died and more than 1,000 have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms around Mexico City in the past month, officials said. The outbreak has pandemic potential, Chan said. the rest

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