World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan addresses the 62nd World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, May 18, 2009. Margaret Chan called on the world to work together against the A/H1N1 flu. The 62nd WHA was opened here on Monday to discuss global health issues, notably the possible A/H1N1 influenza. (Xinhua/Zeng Yi) Photo Gallery>>>

    GENEVA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Currently the world is still not in a full H1N1 pandemic, but it is even closer to a pandemic than last week, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said on Thursday.

    "Now we are not in phase 6 yet. But we are closer to phase 6 today than we were last week," Chan said, referring to the highest level of the WHO's pandemic alert scale.

    Speaking to Xinhua in an interview, Chan said the WHO is following very closely the development of the A/H1N1 flu situation in Europe, in Asia as well as in South America.

    "We need to look at whether or not the criteria for phase 6 is met," she said.

    According to the WHO's current pandemic alert system, phase 6 will mean the H1N1 flu virus causes sustained and community-level human-to-human transmission in regions outside of North America, so far the only region where community-level outbreak has already occurred.

    But a number of countries have suggested that the WHO should consider not only the geographic spread of the disease but also its severity before declaring a full pandemic. As so far the new virus has caused mainly mild infections in countries outside of Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak.

    Chan said the WHO "is receptive" to countries' concerns, but it needs to consult with experts to see how the criteria for declaring a pandemic might be adjusted.

    "We need to consult with experts and see in what way we can indicate the nature and the severity of the illness without compromising, without forgetting the importance of geographical spread," she said. 

Decision on H1N1 vaccine production possible in July, says WHO chief

    GENEVA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) may be able to make a decision in July on whether to recommend manufacturers to start producing vaccines for the wide spreading A/H1N1 flu virus, the head of the UN agency said on Thursday.

    "We hope to be able to make a decision some time in July and see whether or not the world needs to make preparation to make theH1N1 vaccine," WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan told Xinhua in an interview.  Full story

Guatemala confirms sixth case of A/H1N1 flu

    MEXICO CITY, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Guatemalan authorities on Thursday raised the infection toll from the deadly new strain of A/H1N1 flu to six cases, and said they were analyzing samples from three more people with compatible symptoms, according to news reaching here.

    The sixth case is a 13-year-old boy in a private hospital in Guatemala City, Health Minister Celso Cerezo, told media. The boy, the second minor to fall ill, has been kept in isolation to prevent the spread of the disease, which has killed 89 people in Mexico.  Full story

Top British school Eton closed for A/H1N1 flu

    LONDON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Top British private school Eton College will close for a week after a pupil tested positive for the A/H1N1 flu, a school spokesman said on Thursday.

    The school, which is due to re-open on Sunday after half-term, is advised by Health authorities to shut until June 7.  Full story

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu