Four fold increase of swine flu in a week

The World Health Organization has said that a sharp increase in swine flu cases in Australia may push it to finally announce a flu pandemic. It would be the first such pandemic announced in four decades. More than 1,200 people have contracted the virus in Australia, a four-fold increase in a week. Less than a month ago Australia had only a handful of cases of the H1N1 virus but it now has the highest number of infections outside North America. Victoria and the state capital, Melbourne, are the worst-hit with more than 1,000 confirmed cases, although most of those affected are suffering only a mild illness. There have been no swine flu fatalities in Australia.