Swine flu virus has spread to almost every country: WHO

Geneva: The swine flu virus has spread to almost every country in the world since it was discovered at the end of March, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.

"The spread of this virus continues, if you see 160 out
of 193 WHO member states now have cases, so we are nearing
almost 100 per cent but not quite yet," said Gregory Hartl,
spokesman for the WHO.

Hartl added that the A(H1N1) virus, which the WHO
declared a pandemic in June, has resulted in around 800
deaths.

However, he said it was not possible to give a death rate
for the virus, given that "we don`t have the exact numerator
or denominator."

The WHO late last week stopped issuing figures of
infected people worldwide. It said however, that it was
continuing to watch for the virus`s appearance in new
territories.

Meanwhile, Hartl said there remained many unknowns about
the virus.

"We don`t know how the virus will change going forward,"
he said.

Another unknown is how the virus would behave in the
northern hemisphere`s winter, given that it was uncovered only
during springtime in the north, he added.

Bureau Report

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