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WHO declares swine flu pandemic

June 11, 2009 20:13 IST
The World Health Organisation on Thursday declared the swine flu outbreak was a pandemic, the first in more than 40 years.

The long-awaited announcement to its member countries was scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe.

It will trigger drug companies to speed up production of a vaccine and prompt governments to devote more money to containing the virus.

Last month, several countries urged WHO not to declare a pandemic, its highest alert level and essentially raising the outbreak's status to a worldwide epidemic, fearing it would spark mass panic.

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