豚インフルエンザから新型インフルエンザへ

NHKラジオを聞いていたら、WHOがパンデミック・アラートをフェーズ３(No or very limited human-to-human transmission)からフェーズ４（Evidence of increased human-to-human transmission）に引き上げたと報じています。

豚のインフルエンザA/H1N1亜型が、人のインフルエンザに変異して新型インフルエンザが出現したということですね。
「メキシコ風邪」とか、名前がつくのだろうか？

関連エントリー：メキシコや米国で発生している豚インフルエンザは新型インフルエンザになるのかなあ？ (2009.04.27)

警戒レベル フェーズ４に
メキシコやアメリカなどで豚インフルエンザのヒトへの感染が相次いでいることについて、WHO＝世界保健機関の当局者はNHKに対し、新型インフルエンザの警戒レベルをこれまでより１段高い「フェーズ４」に引き上げると明らかにしました。「フェーズ４」は、ヒトからヒトへの集団感染が地域レベルで起き、大流行の危険性が高まってるものの、必ずしも世界的な大流行が起きることを意味するものではないとされています。
2009/04/28／NHK

追記 2009.04.28

この件についてのWHOのアナウンスが、WHOのサイトに掲載されていました。

Swine influenza
The Emergency Committee, established in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), held its second meeting on 27 April 2009.
The Committee considered available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The Committee also considered reports of possible spread to additional countries.
On the advice of the Committee, the WHO Director-General decided on the following.
The Director-General has 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.
This decision was based primarily on epidemiological data demonstrating human-to-human transmission and the ability of the virus to cause community-level outbreaks.
Given the widespread presence of the virus, the Director-General considered that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The current focus should be on mitigation measures.
The Director-General recommended not to close borders and not to restrict international travel. It was considered prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and for people developing symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention.
The Director-General considered that production of seasonal influenza vaccine should continue at this time, subject to re-evaluation as the situation evolves. WHO will facilitate the process needed to develop a vaccine effective against A/H1N1 virus.
The Director-General stressed that all measures should conform with the purpose and scope of the International Health Regulations.
2009/04/27／WHO