·The WHO said more and more A/H1N1 influenza infections are expected in the northern hemisphere.

·This flu is very transmissible, and it can easily infect many people, the WHO said.

·It also said that in most places around the world, the H1N1 virus is the dominant flu virus.

    GENEVA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- More and more A/H1N1 influenza infections are expected in the northern hemisphere as the cold season approaches, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

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    "We're entering into the cold season in the northern hemisphere...Certainly we expect more cases in the next few months," said Gregory Hartl, the UN agency's spokesman for infectious disease outbreaks.

    "This is apparently a virus which is very transmissible, and it can easily infect many people. And there are still a lot of people out there to be infected," Hartl told Xinhua in a telephone interview.

    According to the spokesman, flu cases are rising rapidly in many regions in the northern hemisphere, although the traditional peak period for influenza activities -- January and February – is still two months away.

 

A health worker disinfects a toilet at a government building in Mugla of Turkey, Oct. 29, 2009. Turkey's Health Ministry reported a 34-year-old woman died of the infection of A/H1N1 flu on Thursday, making the death toll of the flu rise to two in the country.(Xinhua/Anadolu) Photo Gallery>>>

   "The fact that flu cases are rising right now, as we are moving toward January and February, is on the one hand not surprising. And on the other hand it is surprising, because it is earlier than normal," Hartl said.

    He added that in most places around the world, the H1N1 virus is the dominant flu virus, "because this is a novel virus to which no one has immunity, and it spreads more easily."

    The spokesman reiterated that vaccination is "one the best tools" for countries to deal with the A/H1N1 pandemic, the first pandemic since 1968.

    As to the measure of school closure, he said that could not stop the spreading of the virus, but could slow it down.

    The A/H1N1 influenza has infected at least 414,945 people and caused some 5,000 deaths worldwide since it was first identified in North America in April, according to a WHO update last week.




Unasur requests 200 million A/H1N1 flu vaccines from WHO

    QUITO, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian Health Minister Caroline Chang said Thursday the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) had requested 200 million doses of vaccines against the A/H1N1 influenza from the World Health Organization (WHO).

    Chang said the request was made in order to "guarantee the access to the vaccine at equal prices," and she expected the vaccines to arrive by the end of this year. Full story

A/H1N1 flu cases rise sharply in Spain 

    MADRID, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The week between October 18 and 24 saw a sharp rise in the number of cases of the A/H1N1 Swine Flu virus in Spain.

    The level of infection now stands at 182.45 cases per 100,000 inhabitants with 80,981 new cases during the week, according to figures published by the Spanish Ministry of Health Thursday. Full story 

Australian state vaccinates 200,000 for A/H1N1 flu 

    CANBERRA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Australian state of Queensland has vaccinated 200,000 people against the A/H1N1 flu within a month of its release.

    "This is a very good result to get 200,000 in such a short time," Queensland Health director-general Michael Reid told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday. Full story