世界卫生组织说,已在20个国家证实超过1千例甲型流感H1N1病毒、也就是通常所说的猪流感病毒感染。
世卫组织总干事陈冯富珍星期一在日内瓦通过视频向联合国大会作出以上通告。
与此同时,墨西哥表示,星期三该国将重新开放餐馆和其他商业活动,墨西哥还说,甲型流感H1N1病毒的威胁正在下降。
甲型流感H1N1病毒的爆发中心墨西哥为了阻止病毒的传播暂时关闭了学校、餐馆和其他商业场所。在美国和其他美洲国家、以及欧洲和亚洲都证实有甲型流感H1N1病毒感染病例。
陈冯富珍星期一对金融时报说,疫情今后几个月可能以更强的势头卷土重来,墨西哥境内外的死亡率降低并不意味着疫情即将消除。
世卫组织说,墨西哥已证实有25人死亡,美国有1人死亡。
上星期,世卫组织把疫情警报提高到5级,标志着世界疫情大流行的6级警报可能迫在眉睫。陈冯富珍在接受《金融时报》采访时说,她估计不会出现疫情大流行,但她宁可防患于未然也不愿在疫情爆发时措手不及。
联合国秘书长潘基文星期一说,世卫组织尚不打算将疫情警戒级别提高至六级。
The World Health Organization says more than 1,000 cases of the swine influenza A-H1N1 have been confirmed in 20 countries.
WHO Director-General Margaret Chan made the announcement Monday, as she briefed the U.N. General Assembly via video link from Geneva.
Her comments came as Mexico says it is to reopen restaurants and other businesses Wednesday, saying the threat of the virus is on the decline.
Mexico — the epicenter of the outbreak — temporarily closed schools, public eateries and other businesses in an effort to halt the spread of the virus, which has also been confirmed in the United States and elsewhere in the Americas, as well as in Europe and Asia.
In an interview with the “Financial Times,” Chan said the virus could return with a “vengeance” (with renewed intensity) in the months ahead. She said just because no additional deaths from the virus are being reported does not mean the outbreak is coming to an end.
The WHO says Mexico has reported 25 confirmed deaths from the virus, while the United States has one.
Last week, the WHO raised its alert level to five, one step below the declaration of a pandemic. Chan told the Financial Times that she is not predicting a pandemic, but that she would rather over-prepare than not prepare for such an outbreak.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday the WHO does not plan to raise the alert level to six.