WHO declares Swine flu a 'pandemic'

Dayton Business Journal

Date: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 1:08pm EDTThe World Health Organization has declared the swine flu a global pandemic — the first such designation since 1968.

The H1N1 flu strain had its first major outbreak in Mexico City and has spread to the U.S. and more than 70 other countries.

WHO reports more than 27,000 cases of the influenza strain. Latest counts by federalCenters for Disease Control and Prevention   show 13,200 cases in the U.S. with 27 deaths. Ohio has 47 confirmed cases, with 12 in the Dayton region.

Public health officials have been optimistic that the H1N1 flu is not as severe as first feared and is more like seasonal influenzas.

The last pandemic, which orginated in Hong Kong, killed 1 million people worldwide.