Last year around this time, swine flu after circulating in Mexico and beyond for months, soon circulated around the world, and by June the World Health Organization had declared a global pandemic, saying the disease was unstoppable. Fall saw it peaking, with hospitals swamped and schools closed down, as cries for an H1N1 vaccine, just a couple of months away got shriller and louder. But, it is a different story now, as even in late winter when most flu seasons peak, public health officials and private doctor offices have more than ample stocks of the flu vaccine, as fewer people are aski

Flu experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) met Tuesday to discuss the H1N1 pandemic and whether flu activity was in a post-peak period, having returned to normal seasonal influenza levels.

The WHO committee of 15 experts will inform Wednesday of whether it is still in Phase six, or has moved to the post-peak period, in which case the agency will declare the pandemic as being over, with Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO director-general informing the agency’s 193 member states health ministries, including the Vatican.

The National Pandemic Flu Service website and phone line for advising people who suspect they may have swine flu, will shut down today at 1:00 a. m., as low levels of cases being reported country-wide means it is on the decline.

Across South Yorkshire, those suspecting their symptoms to be swine flu are being requested to stay at home, contacting their GP by phone for advice, instead.

In response to the steady reduction in the number of swine flu cases, interpreted as a sign the outbreak in Britain is largely over, it has been announced the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) hotline and website will be shut down 11th February.

Although Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer warns against complacency, there has been a steady decline in cases as most people have suffered relatively mild illness.

Even though a hearing by the Council of Europe’s health committee questioned the World Health Organization’s (WHO) links to pharmaceutical firms and its handling of the swine flu pandemic last year, the United Nations health agency’s flu expert strongly denied any improper influences by the pharmaceutical industry.

The agency’s declaration of a H1N1 flu virus pandemic last June saw countries ordering millions of vaccine doses to fight the virus, which ultimately proved relatively mild.

Denying being influenced by drug companies exaggerating the dangers of H1N1 flu virus Tuesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s declaration of a flu pandemic last June led to picking up multi-million dollar vaccination contracts by the pharmaceutical firms.

However, the pandemic proved milder than feared, even though millions worldwide became infected with H1N1 and thousands died because of it.

The death of a 25-year-old woman, who was 6-months pregnant and suffering from swine flu took place in a private hospital in the city of Karachi Saturday. Hospitalised for many days with high grade fever and cough complaints, hers is the second death from H1N1 virus in Karachi, 32 other patients have also been confirmed to be suffering from the flu.

A private laboratory that received a sample of her blood for testing confirmed the presence of the virus, even though her family said none of them had been abroad recently.

In what is considered an important break-through, medical scientists belonging to Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital have successfully identified a small group of anti- viral cell proteins that increase a person’s natural resistance to viral infection, and help in fight-off influenza infections.