WHO warns global swine flu pandemic imminent

The World Health Organization warned a global swine flu pandemic was imminent, as more nations confirmed cases of a deadly disease that has spread round the world in a matter of days.

Nations from Asia to Europe to the Americas announced new confirmed and suspected cases of the flu, believed to be a new strain of virus that has combined existing varieties of bird, swine and common human influenza.

Margaret Chan, the head of the WHO, said the warning level was being raised to phase five on a 1-6 scale–meaning the threat of a pandemic was imminent and that time was “short” for nations to put emergency plans into action.

“All countries should immediately now activate their pandemic preparedness plans,” Chan said. “The biggest question right now is how severe the pandemic might be.”