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Swine flu update (1:30)


May 7, 2009
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Is the spread of the swine flu slowing down? Anchor Marco Werman has an update.


Global swine flu outbreak


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MARCO WERMAN: You might have noticed there's one story we haven't mentioned yet: swine flu. Last week, we were all over it. This week, not so much. Still, the World Health Organization says this is no time to get complacent. Here's the WHO's Acting Assistant Director General, G. Fukuda.

G. FUKUDA: While we see activity go up in some areas, come down in some areas, and we are watching to see whether there's a global spread of this. For us, for WHO, what we're mostly seeing again is that this is a time in which we can work with countries to be as prepared as possible. That is the bottom line.

WERMAN: Still, swine flu isn't necessarily top of the health agenda everywhere. Take Africa. Here is the Africans Commissioner for Social Affairs, Biens Gawanis.

BIENS GAWANIS: The question I ask is that is there no other emergencies that Africa should be concerned about? I think Africa is not isolated from the health challenges, and it is imperative that Africa prepares itself.

WERMAN: Five possible cases of swine flu are being investigated in Africa, four from the Seychelles and one from Bedeen. And experts warn that if swine flu were to take hold in African countries, it could be serious. The continent has poor surveillance systems for disease and a large number of people who are vulnerable. We've got more information on swine flu at theworld.org.

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