Swine flu threat level lifted, as more suspect cases found

World Health Organization?s pandemic alert on swine flu has just been lifted from phase 3 to phase 4, as more confirmed cases of the influenza A/H1N1 virus are found around the world.

As of yesterday, swine flu has 40 confirmed cases in the United States, Canada confirmed six cases, Spain with one case, and Scotland with two cases.? No deaths have been recorded in these countries.

Mexico, were the flu is believed to have originated, currently has 26 confirmed human cases with seven deaths.? Despite the small number of confirmed cases, it is suspected that 149 people have died due to swine flu and that there are thousands of suspected cases.

Currently there are suspected cases of swine flu around the globe including Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Germany.

Phase 4 means that the ?likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable?. By WHO?s categorising standards this level is now two phases short of a ?global epidemic?.

Swine flu normally occurs in pigs, and has only previously been transmitted to those humans who come into contact with pigs. In this recent H1N1 strain, the flu seems to have mutated so that it transmits from person to person like seasonal influenza as well as other common respiratory illnesses.

Symptoms of swine flu are also similar to those of seasonal influenza including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue.? Doctors are being asked to consider swine flu when inspecting cases of influenza or pneumonia, in patients who have travelled to infected regions in the past week.

Trouble brewing for travel

For the global travel industry, already hit hard by the global financial crisis, this comes as another hit to already struggling companies as the public begins to panic about swine flu.

Around the world, shares in travel related companies took major dives against the trend, with airlines suffering the worst drops, while pharmaceutical companies did better than average.