WHO announces the end of the influenza pandemic

11 August 2010

As of 10 August 2010, the Director-General of the World Health Organization announced that the world was no longer in a flu pandemic. The announcement was made following a meeting of its Emergency Committee earlier today, which reviewed global epidemiological data indicating that the flu virus, worldwide, is transitioning towards seasonal flu characteristics and patterns of transmission.

Although in most countries flu activity is returning to patterns to be expected of seasonal flu, some parts of the southern hemisphere are at the current time experiencing outbreaks of the pandemic strain, H1N1 (2009), as part of their winter flu season. In particular, India and New Zealand have reported flu epidemics, largely caused by H1N1 (2009) virus. It is therefore likely that we will continue to see sporadic cases and outbreaks in the UK, given the background circulation of H1N1 (2009) in the UK and the well established travel links with India and Australasia. While most cases are expected to be mild, there remains the potential for the occasional case of more serious illness, particularly those with underlying severe disease, which could result in hospitalisation and possibly admission to intensive care.

The HPA will continue to carry out surveillance of cases of flu-like illness, and outbreaks in the community, and to report on this every week.

Advice for public: http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/SwineInfluenza/
SIPublic/

Advice for health professionals: http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/SwineInfluenza/
SIProfessional/

WHO statement: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2010/
h1n1_vpc_20100810/en/index.html

Weekly flu report: http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/SwineInfluenza/
SIEpidemiologicalData/SIWeekly/

Last reviewed: 11 August 2010