Flu Pandemic is Over

WHO declares end to H1N1 pandemic.
USA Today (8/11, Sternberg) reports, "The World Health Organization on Tuesday declared the H1N1 flu pandemic over, a little more than a year after a spring flood of cases prompted a global effort to curb its wildfire transmission." WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said, "The new H1N1 virus has largely run its course." But that "doesn't mean that the so-called swine flu is gone," because countries like New Zealand are "now grappling with local outbreaks."
But, according to the Wall Street Journal (8/11, McKay), Chan also said, "It is likely that the virus will continue to cause serious disease in younger age groups." Therefore, she urged public health officials to remain vigilant in case the virus mutates and becomes deadlier. In addition, she said that "based on experience with past pandemics, we expect the H1N1 virus to take on the behavior of a seasonal influenza virus and continue to circulate for some years to come," Bloomberg News (8/11, Doherty) notes.