MANILA, 6 May 2009, 1300 hrs—On 4 May, New Zealand reported one more confirmed case of Influenza A(H1N1), bringing the country's total to five since 28 April. On 5 May, the Republic of Korea reported its second confirmed case. The total number of confirmed cases in the Western Pacific Region reported to WHO as of 5 May is now eight.
In the Republic of Korea, the second confirmed case is a 44 year-old woman with no history of travel but contact with the first Korean case confirmed on 2 May. The second case is said to have recovered fully.
Signs of a possible slowdown in transmission of the virus in Mexico should not be taken to mean the worst is over. There are still many questions to be answered about this recently identified virus, and the situation may still change rapidly. WHO therefore strongly urges governments to maintain an appropriate level of alertness and engage in preparedness and readiness activities.
Given the global spread of the Influenza A(H5N1) virus, WHO recommends that travellers from affected areas seek medical advice if they experience influenza-type symptoms within seven days of their return.
Experience with previous pandemics shows that they can cause significant absenteeism from work. With the pandemic alert now at Phase 5, governments, corporations and other institutions are encouraged to look at their continuity plans to ensure they are up to date and applicable.
What’s new in the Western Pacific Region
- There are now 8 confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1) in the Western Pacific Region, up 3 from 3 May
- 2 in the Republic of Korea, reported 2 May and 5 May
- The second reported case had contact with the first case but does not have a history of travel
- 1 in Hong Kong (China), reported 1 May
- 5 in New Zealand (3 reported April 28, 1 reported 1 May, and 1 reported 4 May)
Global case count
As of 16:00 GMT, 5 May 2009, 21 countries have officially reported 1489 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection.
Mexico has reported 822 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 29 deaths. The United States has reported 403 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (140), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Costa Rica (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (9), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (5), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (5), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (2), Spain (57), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (27).
Where to get more information
During public health emergencies, it is important to seek accurate information about the situation. For official information on this evolving situation and for technical and communication guidance for health administrators, health professionals and the general public, please click on the following links:
World Health Organization
US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
France – Institut de Veille Sanitaire
Some Frequently Asked Questions
For a more exhaustive list
How can I protect myself from influenza A(H1N1)
Practice general preventive measures for influenza:
- Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and have fever and cough.
- Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly and often.
- Practice good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active.
What are the recommendations for face masks?
- If you are not sick, you do not have to wear a mask.
- You should wear a mask if you are sick, or when you are caring for a sick person.
- If you do wear a mask, make sure you wear it and dispose of it properly.
- Place mask carefully to cover mouth and nose and tie securely to minimize any gaps between the face and the mask.
- While in use, avoid touching the mask.
- Whenever you touch a used mask, for example when removing or washing, clean hands by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Replace masks with a new clean, dry mask as soon as they become damp/humid.
- Do not reuse single-use masks; discard them after each use and dispose of them immediately upon removing.
- All home-made masks should be cleaned regularly.
What should I do if I think I have the illness?
If you have not travelled to an affected area and you feel unwell, have high fever, cough or sore throat:
- Stay at home and keep away from work, school or crowds.
- Rest and take plenty of fluids.
- Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when coughing and sneezing, and dispose of the used tissues properly.
- Wash your hands with soap and water often and thoroughly, especially after coughing or sneezing.
- Inform family and friends about your illness and try to avoid contact with people.
If you have travelled to an affected area and you feel unwell, have high fever, cough or sore throat:
- Seek medical attention.
- Contact your doctor or health care provider before travelling to a health facility, and report your symptoms. Explain why you think you have Influenza A(H1N1), for example, if you have recently travelled to a country where there is an outbreak in humans. Follow the advice given to you.
- If it is not possible to contact your health care provider in advance, communicate your suspicion of infection as soon as you arrive at the facility.
- Cover your nose and mouth during travel.
How do I care for an ill person at home?
- Separate the ill person from others, at least 1 meter in distance from others.
- Cover your mouth and nose when caring for the ill person. Either commercial or home-made materials are fine, as long as they are disposed of or cleaned properly after use.
- Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly after each contact with the ill person.
- Improve the air flow where the ill person is staying. Use doors and windows to take advantage of breezes.
- Keep the environment clean with readily available household cleaning agents.
Are some people more at risk?
WHO recommends that everyone take precautions to prevent the spread of infection.
Is an effective vaccine already available against the recently identified Influenza A(H1N1) virus?
- No, but work is already under way to develop such a vaccine.
- Influenza vaccines generally contain a dead or weakened form of a circulating virus. The vaccine prepares the body’s immune system to defend against a true infection. For the vaccine to offer the highest level of protection, the virus in it should match the circulating “wild-type” virus as closely as possible.
- Since this A(H1N1) virus has not been identified before, there is no vaccine currently available made with this particular virus.
- Making a completely new influenza vaccine can take five to six months.
Will currently available seasonal vaccine confer protection against the recently identified Influenza A(H1N1)?
The best scientific evidence available today is incomplete but suggests that seasonal vaccines will confer little or no protection against the recently identified Influenza A(H1N1) virus.
How quickly will vaccines against the recently identified Influenza A(H1N1) virus be available?
The first doses of Influenza A(H1N1) vaccine against this 2009 strain could be available in five to six months from identification of the pandemic strain. The regulatory approval will be conducted in parallel with the manufacturing process. Regulatory authorities have put into place expedited processes that do not compromise on the quality and safety of the vaccine. Delays in production could result from poor growth of the virus strain used to make the vaccine.
Will vaccines against the recently identified Influenza A(H1N1) virus be effective in all population groups?
There are not data on this but there also is no reason to expect that they would not, given current information.
Will the vaccines against the recently identified Influenza A(H1N1) virus be safe?
Licensed vaccines are held to a very high standard of safety. All possible precautions will be taken to ensure safety and new Influenza A(H1N1) vaccines.
Will there be enough vaccine against the recently identified Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus for everyone?
The estimated time to make enough vaccine to vaccinate the world's population against pandemic influenza will not be known until vaccine manufacturers will have been able to determine how much active ingredient (antigen) is needed to make one dose of effective Influenza A(H1N1) vaccine.
In the past two years, influenza vaccine production capacity has increased sharply due to expansion of production facilities as well as advances in research, including the discovery and use of adjuvants. Adjuvants are substances added to a vaccine to make it more effective, thus reducing the amount of active ingredient (antigen) required and allowing more vaccine doses to be produced than before, while using the same amount of antigen.
For more information on influenza A(H1N1)