Article: Could take years to lower pandemic alert level - WHO

Sri Lanka, Oct. 12 -- It could take years for the World Health Organisation to downgrade the H1N1 flu from a pandemic to seasonal-like virus, the U.N. agency said on Friday.

The WHO moved its six-point pandemic alert level to the top rung in June in response to the spread of the new virus widely known as swine flu, which has killed at least 4,500 people, especially in North America.

WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said that health warning would stay in place until people can better fend off infection from the H1N1 strain.

"At some point in the future, there would be a recognition of the fact that if it's no longer circulating on a sustainable basis in communities. Then you would lower the ...

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