More Flu?

WHO says H1N1 pandemic has yet to peak.
The AP (2/24) reports, "The World Health Organization says the swine flu pandemic still has not peaked" even though "cases have dropped dramatically in recent weeks in Western countries."
The "panel of experts convened" by the WHO "had been widely expected to say that the outbreak of pandemic H1N1 influenza had passed its peak and was now tailing off," the Los Angeles Times (2/23, Maugh) "Booster Shots" blog reported. The "experts cautioned, however, that the virus had only recently reached Africa and that another wave of illness is expected in the Southern Hemisphere in the next few months as fall and winter approach."
And "at the moment, it is still causing substantial outbreaks of disease outside the normal influenza seasons and affecting groups who are not normally affected by seasonal influenza," WHO spokesman "Gregory Hartl said by email," according to Reuters (2/23, Nebehay, Fox). "So as long as that continues, it does not behave like seasonal influenza," he added. What's more, the possibility of mutation still exists, and a number of scientists are concerned that H1N1 will partner up with H5N1. AFP (2/24) also covers the story.