12:57, 01 May 2009 | GMT +5
UN pandemic alert still at Phase 5, as influenza A (H1N1) continues to spread
UNITED NATIONS. May 1. KAZINFORM As it continued to intensively monitor the spread of the influenza A (H1N1) virus, the United Nations health agency today held its pandemic alert to Phase 5, put in place yesterday, and reiterated its call for heightened vigilance, Kazinform refers to Xinhuanet.

?The situation continues to evolve,? Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), said during what has become a daily press teleconference from the agency, adding that there was nothing new today that indicated a move to the highest level of alert, Phase 6.
?We see some countries reporting new cases,? Mr. Fukuda said. ?We also see some countries, in which infection has been going on, reporting continued cases in their countries. And then we?re seeing that, in other countries, cases appear to be holding steady, for example, the United States,? he added.
As of 2:50 p.m. Geneva time, lab-confirmed cases of the virus rose to 236 worldwide, up from the148 reported yesterday, he stated.
The largest jump occurred in Mexico, which went up to 97 confirmed cases from 26 reported earlier, including seven deaths. That steep rise, Mr. Fukuda said, probably comes from the backlog of thousands of specimens submitted for testing and for which the laboratory results are just coming in, Kazinform cites Xinhuanet.
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