World Health Organization officials emerged from an emergency meeting today and announced that swine flu has reached the level of a global pandemic, its first such determination in more than 40 years.

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The AP is reporting that the finding was sent out to WHO member countries in response to the mounting number of infections -- now more than 27,000 -- in Europe, North and South America and Australia.

This is not the first time the WHO has struggled with the question of whether or not to declare swine flu a pandemic, a decision that could have economic consequences and cause panic.

In late May, the WHO responded to concerns over the decision-making process, suggesting it may take the frequently moderate to mild symptoms of the flu into account when making its final decision. But though swine flu has not yet proved to be very lethal, its ability to mutate quickly has some health officials concerned that the disease could become more deadly as time and circumstances change.

In its statement, released this afternoon, the WHO was careful to stress that most cases will continue to be mild and that its decision is not a result of an anticipated rise in fatalities. Still, the agency also stressed the uncertainty associated with the flu as it spreads to more countries, some of which may not yet be medically equipped to handle it.

Said Margaret Chan of the WHO, "We do not know how this virus will behave under conditions typically found in the developing world. To date, the vast majority of cases have been detected and investigated in comparatively well-off countries."


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