News Items

June 2009

11 June 2009 WHO announces the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic....................(read more)

April 2009

30 April 2009 WHO raises pandemic alert level to Phase 5...........................(read more)

28 April 2009 WHO publishes its updated pandemic plan..............................(read more)

27 April 2009 WHO raises pandemic alert level to Phase 4...........................(read more)

WHO announces the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic - 11 June 2009

On 11 June 2009, the WHO Director-General announces that the world is at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic, and the level of influenza pandemic alert is raised from Phase 5 to Phase 6. At this early stage, the pandemic can be characterized globally as being moderate in severity. Further details can be obtained from the WHO website

WHO raises pandemic alert level to Phase 5 - 30 April 2009

On 29 April 2009, the WHO Director-General raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from Phase 4 to Phase 5. It was stressed that influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world. Further details can be obtained from the WHO website

WHO publishes its updated pandemic plan - 28 April 2009

On 28 April 2009, WHO published its updated version of pandemic preparedness plan - Pandemic influenza preparedness and response. Further details can be obtained from the WHO website

WHO raises pandemic alert level to Phase 4 - 27 April 2009

On 27 April 2009, the WHO Director-General raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from the current Phase 3 to Phase 4. The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable. As further information becomes available, WHO may decide to either revert to phase 3 or raise the level of alert to another phase. Further details can be obtained from the WHO website