What's happening now?

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. A flu pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity and for which there is no vaccine. The disease spreads easily person-to-person, causes serious illness, and can sweep across the country and around the world in very short time. An influenza pandemic may be caused by either swine (pig) or avian (bird) flu viruses.

There are currently cases of human infection with H1N1 throughout the world, including the United States. Health professionals are concerned about the possibility that this virus could become a pandemic for the following reasons:

• It is a never-before seen combination of human, swine, and avian influenza viruses.
  
• It is being spread from human to human.
  
• The age group most affected is healthy, young adults (unlike seasonal flu)
  
• Like other influenza viruses, it continues to evolve.
  

In late March and early April 2009, cases of human infection with this H1N1 virus were first reported in Southern California and near San Antonio, Texas. Other U.S. states have since reported cases of H1N1 flu infection in humans and cases have been reported internationally as well. The latest U.S. information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) H1N1 Web site.

The World Health Organization is coordinating a global response to human cases of the H1N1 flu and monitoring the corresponding threat of an influenza pandemic. Access the (WHO) H1N1 Web site 

for the current information on the international situation.

source http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/