World health officials, racing to extinguish a new flu strain that is jumping borders, raised a global alert level to an unprecedented level as the outbreak claimed more lives in Mexico.

"At this time, containment is not a feasible option," said Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the World Health Organisation, which raised the alert level to Phase 4. With the swine flu having already spread to at least four other countries, authorities around the globe are like fire fighters battling a blaze without knowing how far it extends.

The World Health Organisation raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country. Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3. Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans.

Affected countries
Mexico, with the most number of deaths believed to be caused by swine flu rose to 152, is the suspected ground zero of the outbreak. Fifty cases - none fatal and most of them mild - were confirmed in the United States. Worldwide there were 79 confirmed cases, including six in Canada, one in Spain and two in Scotland. Thirteen are suspected in New Zealand, and one is suspected in both France and Israel.

South Africans should not panic over swine flu which is spreading in some parts of the world, the health department said on Tuesday.

"To date, there are no cases of swine influenza reported in South Africa," spokesman Fidel Hadebe said in a statement. However, adequate measures had been taken to ensure the country could respond swiftly should there be any cases. These included having outbreak response teams in all provinces and heightened clinical and laboratory surveillance to identify any suspected human cases.

The department was working closely the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the agriculture department and the World Health Organisation in keeping an eye on the situation.

Meanwhile pork producers moved to assure the public that their products were not affected by the current outbreak, which they said could only be spread between humans. "People can eat pork and the virus is definitely not in South Africa," said Simon Streicher, chief executive officer of the SA Pork Producers Association. "We have tested our pigs over the last couple of years for swine flu and all our pigs were negative," he said.

Symptoms
Symptoms include a fever of more than 37.7 degrees Celsuis, coughing, joint aches, severe headache and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The epidemic in Mexico has been deadly, with many victims in their 30s and 40s - not the very old or young who typically succumb to the flu. So far, no deaths from the new virus have been reported outside Mexico.

It could take 4-6 months before the first batch of vaccines are available, WHO officials said. Some anti-flu drugs do work once someone is sick.

Prevention methods
Richard Besser, the CDC's acting director, said his agency is aggressively looking for evidence of the disease spreading and probing for ways to control and prevent it.

But the new flu strain is a combination of pig, bird and human viruses that humans may have no natural immunity to.

The best way to keep the disease from spreading, Besser said, is by taking everyday precautions such as frequent hand washing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if not feeling well. – (Andrew O. Selsky - Sapa/AP, April 2009)