INDONESIA - WHO reportedly raised Indonesian pandemic warning to level 4

[Theresa42]

Hat-tip, Snowy Owl!

The Tribun Bantam reported on July 12 (!) that the WHO raised the Indonesian pandemic warning level to level 4.

I can't find any notice on the WHO's websites though (?):
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian.../en/index.html

http://w3.whosea.org/en/Section10/Section1027.htm

toggletext-ed from Indonesian:

RI bird flu was stated Acute
WHO increased the Status to the Level 4
July 12, 2006

Jakarta, the Stand - The Plague of bird flu in Indonesia increasingly alarmed at the same time entering the acute stage. The organisation of the health of the world (WHO) increased the status of the level of the spread of Indonesian bird flu from the third level to the level four.

The spread of level bird flu four was significant that the deadly virus has spread between humankind to a small group of person (cluster). This information made the businessman's circle increasingly worried the fall of their competitiveness of the export product overseas.

Gabungan Breakingprep Pengusaha Breakingprep Makanan Director and the Indonesian Drink (GAPMMI), Adhi Lukman, urged the government so that the status of the spread not until increased to the level 5. Moreover down to the level most serious (the peak) namely the level 6.

"We heart sport heard WHO increasing bird flu in Indonesia to the level four." Travel by one level more, our product already best wishes. Could not compete again overseas, said Adhi Lukman in discussions to increase the Standard of the Security of Food in Indonesia in Jakarta, on last Tuesday (11/7).

Adhi Lukman said, increasingly serious bird flu in a country, then the aim country of the export increasingly tightened the entry of imports, including the thing from Indonesia. The thing that increasingly was supervised tight especially being the foodstuff and processed food.

The "government of the race with time." If not faster, the world of the industry will be mass casualties, said Adhi Lukman. Adhi urged the Department of the Health (the Department of Health) really focussed the achievement on efforts to prevent the increase in the status of the spread.

As is known, WHO divided the level of the criticalness of the spread of bird flu into six levels.

The first level, bird flu not yet until became an epidemic. The second level, bird flu became an epidemic between the poultry. The third level, bird flu spread from the animal (the poultry or the pig) to humankind. The level four, bird flu spread between humankind to a small group of person (cluster). The fifth level, the virus spread to the human group that terlokalisasi. And the sixth level, the virus spread between humankind widely the alias happened the pandemic.

zhttp://www.tribun-batam.com/index.php?module=detail&noberita=18091

[Snowy Owl]

I would like to give my thanks to one of our Members that prefer to be anonymous for now that forward me this info.

[Mingus]

What ? Thoses level are related to a geographic area ??

Level 4 only in Indonesia ?

Anyway, If confirmed by a second source, it will be THE big news.

[hawkeye]

07/26/2006
Global Firms Ready Avian Flu Plans

Nearly three-fourths of global corporations have a detailed avian flu pandemic readiness plan in place or are in the process of developing a plan, according to a report released by the Conference Board.

Many of the companies without a specific avian flu pandemic preparedness strategy said they don't see such planning as a current business priority or said they that their existing plan for business continuity is adequate to manage the threat.

Small and privately held companies were less likely to have an avian flu plan than were large and publicly held companies, according to the report. About 95 percent of companies with more than $5 billion in sales have an up-to-date preparedness plan or are in the process of planning. By contrast, 65 percent of companies with less than $100 million in sales have no plans specifically in place addressing the impact of a flu pandemic.

"The variability of business responsiveness to planning alone--with large companies more willing and able to do so than smaller companies--underscores vulnerability in the current state of pandemic readiness planning," says David J. Vidal of the Conference Board. "Given that successful pandemic containment would require extraordinary levels of business, social, governmental, and individual awareness, knowledge, and cooperation, these gaps provide reason for pause."

The survey found that companies are in varying stages of preparation. A third of companies said they have completed the task of identifying critical positions within the organization to minimize business disruptions in the event of a pandemic. Just under half of respondents said they are in the process of identifying critical positions, and the remaining 20 percent plan to do so in the future.

In anticipation of high absenteeism, more than two-thirds of companies plan to continue to depend upon their existing workforce to maintain normal business operations by cross-training employees to be skilled in multiple jobs.

Some companies plan to gather additional human resources by pooling with other organizations (34 percent) and contracting retired workers to come back to work temporarily to ensure that critical positions are filled (25 percent).

Seventy percent of companies are currently enhancing existing IT capabilities to allow employees to work from home or from a satellite facility during a pandemic.

Close to one-third of the survey participants said that their avian flu plan will be activated when the World Health Organization (WHO) declares Alert Level 4 (increased human-to-human transmission). Eighteen percent said that their plan would go into effect when a pandemic situation is declared in a country where their organization has operating presence.

Eighty percent of companies said they would restrict travel during a pandemic. Another 16 percent said they have yet to make a decision about travel restrictions.

Ten percent of companies say they are currently stockpiling antiretroviral drugs, such as Tamiflu, and another 14 percent said they plan to do so.

[Shannon]

This has huge implications for many countries and business' disaster plans. Several have automatic changes that are triggered by this change in level.
I find it interesting they are doing this because of the Indonesian cluster. Timely isn't the WHOs middle name is it.

[Theresa42]

Originally Posted by Mingus

What ? Thoses level are related to a geographic area ??

Level 4 only in Indonesia ?

Anyway, If confirmed by a second source, it will be THE big news.

Yes. I don't know what to make of it. Didn't know the WHO had warning levels for separate countries. Maybe they do...?

[Siamese]

Okay, I ran across these two postings, I am unsure of the newspapers, but here they are.
zttp://www.tribun-batam.com/index.ph...noberita=18091
and this one zttp://www.tribun-timur.com/index.ph...onal&offset=28
Basically they are saying that Who raised the Levels to four in Indonesia. 12 Juli 2006 Has anyone else run across them?


Flu Burung RI Dinyatakan Akut
* WHO Naikkan Statusnya ke Level 4 Jakarta, Tribun - Wabah flu burung di Indonesia semakin mencemaskan sekaligus masuk tahapan akut. Organisasi kesehatan dunia (WHO) telah menaikkan status tingkat penularan flu burung Indonesia dari level ketiga ke level empat. Penularan flu burung level empat bermakna bahwa virus mematikan itu sudah menular antar manusia pada sekelompok kecil orang (cluster). Informasi ini membuat kalangan pengusaha semakin khawatir turunnya daya saing produk ekspor mereka ke luar negeri.Direktur Gabungan Pengusaha Makanan dan Minuman Indonesia (GAPMMI), Adhi Lukman, mendesak pemerintah agar status penularan tidak sampai meningkat ke level 5. Apalagi sampai ke level paling gawat (puncak) yakni level 6. "Kita sport jantung dengar WHO menaikkan flu burung di Indonesia ke level empat. Naik satu level lagi, produk kita sudah wassalam. Tak bisa bersaing lagi di luar negeri," kata Adhi Lukman dalam diskusi Meningkatkan Standar Keamanan Pangan di Indonesia di Jakarta, Selasa (11/7) kemarin.Adhi Lukman mengatakan, semakin gawat flu burung di suatu negara, maka negara tujuan ekspor semakin memperketat masuknya barang impor, tak terkecuali barang dari Indonesia. Barang yang semakin diawasi ketat khususnya adalah bahan makanan dan makanan olahan. "Pemerintah adu cepat dengan waktu. Kalau kalah cepat, dunia industri akan jadi korban massal," tutur Adhi Lukman. Adhi mendesak Departemen Kesehatan (Depkes) benar-benar memfokuskan kinerja pada upaya mencegah peningkatan status penularan. Seperti diketahui, WHO membagi tingkat kegawatan penularan flu burung dalam enam level. Level pertama, flu burung belum sampai mewabah. Level kedua, flu burung mewabah antar unggas. Level ketiga, flu burung menular dari hewan (unggas atau babi) ke manusia. Level empat, flu burung menular antar manusia pada sekelompok kecil orang (cluster). Level kelima, virus menular pada kelompok manusia yang terlokalisasi. Dan level keenam, virus menular antar manusia secara luas alias telah terjadi pandemi. (JBP/abs)Tingkatan Flu Burung Level I: Flu burung belum mewabah. Level II: Mewabah antar unggas. Level III: Menular dari hewan ke manusia. Level IV: Menular antar manusia pada sekelompok kecil orang (cluster). Level V: Menular pada kelompok manusia yang terlokalisasi. Level VI: Menular antar manusia secara luas.

TRANSLATED
RI bird flu was stated Acute
12 Juli 2006


WHO increased the Status to the Level 4 Jakarta, the Stand - the Plague of bird flu in Indonesia increasingly alarmed at the same time entering the acute stage.
The organisation of the health of the world (WHO) increased the status of the level of the spread of Indonesian bird flu from the third level to the level four.
The spread of level bird flu four was significant that the deadly virus has spread between humankind to a small group of person (cluster).
This information made the businessman's circle increasingly worried the fall of their competitiveness of the export product overseas.
Gabungan Breakingprep Pengusaha Breakingprep Makanan Director and the Indonesian Drink (GAPMMI), Adhi Lukman, urged the government so that the status of the spread not until increased to the level 5.
Moreover down to the level most serious (the peak) namely the level 6.
"We heart sport heard WHO increasing bird flu in Indonesia to the level four."
Travel by one level more, our product already best wishes.
Could not compete again overseas, said Adhi Lukman in discussions to increase the Standard of the Security of Food in Indonesia in Jakarta, on last Tuesday (11/7).
Adhi Lukman said, increasingly serious bird flu in a country, then the aim country of the export increasingly tightened the entry of imports, including the thing from Indonesia.
The thing that increasingly was supervised tight especially being the foodstuff and processed food.

The "government of the race with time."
If not faster, the world of the industry will be mass casualties, said Adhi Lukman.
Adhi urged the Department of the Health (the Department of Health) really focussed the achievement on efforts to prevent the increase in the status of the spread.
As is known, WHO divided the level of the criticalness of the spread of bird flu into six levels.
The first level, bird flu not yet until became an epidemic.
The second level, bird flu became an epidemic between the poultry.
The third level, bird flu spread from the animal (the poultry or the pig) to humankind.
The level four, bird flu spread between humankind to a small group of person (cluster).
The fifth level, the virus spread to the human group that terlokalisasi.
And the sixth level, the virus spread between humankind widely the alias happened the pandemic.
(JBP/abs)

The I stage of Level Bird Flu: Bird Flu did not yet become an epidemic.
The level Ii: became an epidemic between the poultry.
The III level: spread from the animal to humankind.
The IV level: spread between humankind to a small group of person (cluster).
The V level: spread to the human group that terlokalisasi.
The VI level: spread between humankind widely.
SECOND ARTICLE

zhttp://www.tribun-timur.com/index.php?jenis=Nasional&offset=28



Selasa, 11-07-2006

Flu Burung Semakin Akut
WHO Naikkan RI ke Level 4

Jakarta, Tribun -- Wabah flu burung di Indonesia semakin mencemaskan dan telah memasuki tahapan akut setelah organisasi kesehatan dunia (WHO) menaikkan status tingkat penularan flu burung dari level ketiga ke level empat. Penularan flu burung level empat bermakna bahwa virus mematikan itu sudah menular antarmanusia pada sekelompok kecil orang (cluster). Informasi ini membuat pengusaha semakin khawatir turunnya daya saing produk ekspor mereka. Direktur Gabungan Pengusaha Makanan dan Minuman Indonesia (GAPMMI), Adhi Lukman, mendesak pemerintah agar status penularan tidak sampai meningkat ke level lima. Apalagi sampai ke level paling gawat (puncak) yakni level enam.
"Kita sport jantung dengar WHO menaikkan flu burung di Indonesia ke level empat. Naik satu level lagi, produk kita sudah wassalam. Tak bisa bersaing lagi di luar negeri," kata Adhi dalam diskusi Meningkatkan Standar Keamanan Pangan di Indonesia di Jakarta, Selasa (11/7). Adhi mengatakan, semakin gawat flu burung di suatu negara, maka negara tujuan ekspor semakin memperketat masuknya barang impor, tak terkecuali barang dari Indonesia. Barang yang semakin diawasi ketat khususnya adalah bahan makanan dan makanan olahan. "Pemerintah adu cepat dengan waktu. Kalau kalah cepat, dunia industri akan jadi korban massal," kata Adhi sembari mendesak Departemen Kesehatan benar-benar memfokuskan kinerja pada upaya mencegah peningkatan status penularan. WHO membagi tingkat kegawatan penularan flu burung dalam enam level. Pertama, flu burung belum sampai mewabah, kedua, flu burung mewabah antarunggas, ketiga, flu burung menular dari hewan (unggas atau babi) ke manusia. Empat, flu burung menular antarmanusia pada sekelompok kecil orang (cluster), lima, virus menular pada kelompok manusia yang terlokalisasi dan pada level enam, virus menular antar manusia secara luas alias telah terjadi pandemi. Secara terpisah, Dirjen Pengendalian Penyakit dan Penyehatan Lingkungan (P2PL) Departemen Kesehatan, I Nyoman Kandun mengatakan, tidak tepat bila WHO menaikkan ke level empat. Alasannya, sampai sekarang belum ada bukti kuat telah terjadi penularan antarmanusia. Kita terus melakukan surveilans untuk itu, kata I Nyoman Kandun di sela- sela diskusi Pembangunan Kesehatan Berbasis Masyarakat. Kasus flu burung yang terakhir di Indonesia adalah Asri Agustin (3), 6 Juli 2006 lalu. Sementara sejak muncul pertama 7 Juli 2006, ditemukan 54 kasus positif terjangkit dengan 41 korban meninggal. Depkes kini menunggu hasil pemeriksaan laboratorium WHO di Hong Kong. "Jika AA (Asri Agustin) positif, nanti angkanya jadi 55 (kasus), 42 (meninggal)," ujar Kandun. Sementara kasus cluster (keluarga) terbesar adalah cluster Karo, Sumut. Sebanyak 9 orang dalam satu keluarga terjangkit dan 7 di antaranya meninggal. Kandun meminta kesadaran masyarakat pemilik unggas agar meningkatkan pembersihan kandang, mencuci tangan dan membiasakan pakai masker. "Yang terpenting adalah kebersihan lingkungan dan individu. Itu saja. Jangan cuma nanya obatnya ada atau nggak," kata Kandun. (JBP/abs)


zhttp://www.tribun-timur.com/index.php?jenis=Nasional&offset=28

SECOND ARTICLE TRANSLATED

Selasa, 11-07-2006

Bird flu Increasingly Akut
WHO loaded RI to the Level 4 Jakarta, the Stand -- the Plague of bird flu in Indonesia increasingly alarmed and entered the acute stage after the organisation of the health of the world (WHO) increased the status of the level of the spread of bird flu from the third level to the level four.
The spread of level bird flu four was significant that the deadly virus has spread antarmanusia to a small group of person (cluster).
This information made the businessman increasingly worried the fall of their competitiveness of the export product.
Gabungan Breakingprep Pengusaha Breakingprep Makanan Director and the Indonesian Drink (GAPMMI), Adhi Lukman, urged the government so that the status of the spread not until increased to the level five.
Moreover down to the level most serious (the peak) namely the level six.
We heart sport heard WHO increasing bird flu in Indonesia to the level four.
Travel by one level more, our product already best wishes.
Could not compete again overseas, said Adhi in discussions to increase the Standard of the Security of Food in Indonesia in Jakarta, on Tuesday (11/7).
Adhi said, increasingly serious bird flu in a country, then the aim country of the export increasingly tightened the entry of imports, including the thing from Indonesia.
The thing that increasingly was supervised tight especially being the foodstuff and processed food.
The "government of the race with time."
If not faster, the world of the industry will be mass casualties, said Adhi sembari urged the Department of the Health really to focus the achievement on efforts to prevent the increase in the status of the spread.
WHO divided the level of the criticalness of the spread of bird flu into six levels.
Firstly, bird flu not yet until became an epidemic, second, bird flu became an epidemic antarunggas, third, bird flu spread from the animal (the poultry or the pig) to humankind.
Four, bird flu spread antarmanusia to a small group of person (cluster), five, the virus spread to the human group that terlokalisasi and in the level six, the virus spread between humankind widely the alias happened the pandemic.
Separately, the Director General of the Control of the Illness and environmental Sanitation (P2PL) the Department of the Health, I Nyoman Kandun said, inexact when WHO raised to the level four.
The reason is, up until now did not yet have strong proof the spread happened antarmanusia.
We continued did surveilans for that, said I Nyoman Kandun in the gap- interrupted Development discussions of the Based Health of the Community.
The case of last bird flu in Indonesia was Beautiful Agustin (3), last July 6 2006.
Now since emerging first on July 7 2006, was found by 54 positive cases terjangkit with 41 casualties died.
The Department of Health currently is waiting for results of the WHO laboratory inspection in Hong Kong.
"If AA (Beautiful Agustin) positive, later his figure so 55 (the case), 42 (died)," said Kandun.
Now the case cluster (the family) biggest was cluster Karo, North Sumatra.
Totalling 9 insiders of one family terjangkit and 7 including dying.
Between him died.
Kandun asked for the awareness of the owner's community of the poultry in order to increase the cleaning of the pen, washed the hands and make accustomed with the mask.
"That most important was the cleanliness of the environment and the individual."
That then.
Don't only asked his medicine was or not, said Kandun.
(JBP/abs)

[Mingus]

July 12 ! , that's almost two week ago ?

Can It just be a misinterpretation from the newspaper ?
Or the way to tell WHO asked health care organisation in indonesia to work at level 4 requirement without doing official announcement ?

There is a reason why the news did not pop up since july 12...

[Siamese]

I don't know, I don't wish to cause a panic and so I pm Snowy Owl on this one and was told to go ahead and post it.

[Shannon]

I may be going out on a limb here but, it would be extremely difficult to say only one country is at risk.
The level four alert level reads;
Small cluster(s) of human infection have been detected, but human-to-human transmission is still localized, suggesting that the virus is not yet well adapted to humans.
Nowhere in the document is there a suggestion that only one country is at risk. You could make an argument that any localized h2h cluster is found within the bounds of one country. This sounds yet again like the WHO is tyring to soften the blow to business.

[Mingus]

Originally Posted by siam

I don't know, I don't wish to cause a panic and so I pm Snowy Owl on this one and was told to go ahead and post it.

I dont fear any panic and I want to thank you for posting this.
Level should be raised since a long time ago it will only change the official answer from the autority.

I just don't understand why there is such a lag and why WHO did not made any official statement ?

[Theresa42]

Time to email someone at the WHO and ask them ... Dick Thompson perhaps ....

[Siamese]

He was on Holidays, but might be back by now.

[Shannon]

Theresa, by all means.

[Siamese]

Mingus said

I just don't understand why there is such a lag and why WHO did not made any official statement ?

Because of the Markets, they want everything quiet, so they won't loose money. "Follow the Money"

[Snowy Owl]

I would like to thank our member Siam for these Indonesian news.

[colormyquilt]

Media seems to have reported only a limited number of human bf cases since beginning of July. Along with many suspected cases. A huge jump to make, it would seem, from keeping the alert at the same level following the Ginting cluster to to raising the level for the relatively few new cases being reported in Indonesia. It may just be that Indonesia is sitting on a hotbed of information. I am wondering: Is this the level 4 from old Who alert system- or from WHO's new system to have been formulated some time back.

[Theresa42]

Another version of the story (right-hand columns):

zhttp://www.indomedia.com/sripo/2006/07/12/1207H05.pdf

[Siamese]

Snowy Owl said

I would like to thank our member Siam for these Indonesian news.

Thank you for your guidence, on this. I can only hope that I have posted a reliable source, not that I want it to be a level four.
It seems to be true, I see we have another version of the same story. I fear that I am right. I hope someone has emailed WHO on this to get the facts, straight.

[Laidback Al]

Originally Posted by colormyquilt

Media seems to have reported only a limited number of human bf cases since beginning of July. Along with many suspected cases. A huge jump to make, it would seem, from keeping the alert at the same level following the Ginting cluster to to raising the level for the relatively few new cases being reported in Indonesia. It may just be that Indonesia is sitting on a hotbed of information. I am wondering: Is this the level 4 from old Who alert system- or from WHO's new system to have been formulated some time back.

Good question. Has WHO finalized a new system and does anyone have a link to these "new" WHO pandemic levels?

[Theresa42]

Originally Posted by siam

Snowy Owl said
Thank you for your guidence, on this. I can only hope that I have posted a reliable source, not that I want it to be a level four.
It seems to be true, I see we have another version of the same story. I fear that I am right. I hope someone has emailed WHO on this to get the facts, straight.

Now we've seen three different sources of the story. That still doesn't verify it, of course -- but you'd think there must be something to it.

Maybe it's just all a misunderstanding -- a translation error or something -- but it's much better to get it out and cleared up than to ignore it. Many, many thanks for bringing it to everyone's attention! If the story is genuine, it's quite a big one! If it's not genuine, no bad reflection on you or anyone else here. Quite the opposite -- I think it's just a good thing that we're trying to get to the bottom of it!

[Siamese]

Was it really a slip-up??

French travel warning was "slip-up" : FM

Foreign Ministry said a warning for Thai travellers to cancel or postpone their trips to France was a "technical slip-up."


The government only meant to urge travellers to exercise greater caution while travelling in France after its diplomats suffered a number of violent robberies around Paris, the foreign ministry said.

"The advice for Thai travellers 'against non-essential travel to France' was a technical slip-up," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The French foreign ministry has assured Thailand that "the French authorities attach great importance to this matter and will take necessary measures to ensure the safety of Thai tourists in Paris," it said.

The ministry continues to urge Thais traveling in France to take greater precautions against crime by keeping their personal possessions with them at all times and avoiding traveling alone.

On Wednesday, Thai Foreign Ministry cautioned Thai citizens to consider postponing or cancelling travelling to France particularly this period because of the threat of crime.

The ministry issued the warning in a statement on Tuesday which said that several robberies or thefts had occurred involving cars belonging to the Thai Embassy in Paris.

"In the past month, at least four robberies occurred to embassy cars and we would like to warn Thais who plan to travel to France to increase their safety measures or consider postponing or canceling travel to France in the summer which would be crowded with tourists and possibly criminals," read the statement.

A thief broke the window of an embassy car in which the Thai commercial attache was traveling when it had stopped at the intersection of a busy road. The diplomat was slightly injured when he resisted the thief, who attempted to snatch his bag, it added. The thief is still at large.
The Nation and Associated Press

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006...s_30009707.php

[Laidback Al]

Here is an email response I received from WHO in Indonesia this morning.

[quote]

From: Tallis, Graham
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 10:35 PM
Subject: Pandemic Phase



I refer to your request to Dr Petersen, WHO Representative to Indonesia, regarding whether it is correct that WHO has raised the pandemic level to 4 for Indonesia in mid July. Dr Petersen has asked me to respond to your query on his behalf.
It is NOT correct that the pandemic phase has been changed. Please note that the WHO Pandemic Phase is applied to the entire world, and not to individual countries. The world remains in WHO pandemic alert phase 3, which means that the new influenza virus (H5N1) causes primarily animal infection but also some human infections. The world will go to WHO pandemic alert phase 4 only if there is sustained human-to-human transmission contained in a local area. Limited human-to-human transmission that is not sustained, as may have occurred in Indonesia as well as other parts of the world, is NOT a reason to go to phase 4.
I trust this information clarifies the current situation for you.




Dr Graham Tallis
Medical Epidemiologist
CSR Team - Influenza
WHO Jakarta

[Reeves]

Level 4 ??? Level 5 ?

WHO failing to report human-to-human transmission of H5N1 bird flu virus

WHO failing to report human-to-human transmission of H5N1 bird flu virus

http://Vwww.newstarget.com/019764.html

NewsTarget) Statements published by the U.N.'s World Health Organization (WHO) concerning bird flu outbreaks have not been candid, say critics who accuse the organization of being less than truthful to the public for fear of causing panic.
Although cluster outbreaks have occurred in Asia, Turkey, and Iraq this year, WHO refused to admit that they could be caused by human-to-human transmission, even though it was aware such transmissions were possible years earlier. Following an Indonesian outbreak that was difficult to conceal, WHO spokeswoman Maria Cheng finally admitted that there were "about a half dozen" instances of human-to-human transmission. WHO maintains that these clusters occurred due to group contact with a common infected animal source; however, no other agency has been allowed to examine the evidence to determine if WHO's conclusion is correct.
WHO stated that "even if human-to-human transmission did occur, it was in a very limited way," and immediately reassured the scientific community that it did not extend beyond the immediate community. Scientific evidence has shown that the H5N1 strain, which is deadly to humans, can be passed from person to person.
After genetic data leaked from a conference, Researcher Dr. Henry L. Niman was able to determine that although WHO did not give incorrect avian flu data, it withheld important truths. Extensive viral mutations had occurred to a greater extent than WHO implied.
Certain nations will not allow WHO to have access to or publish their genetic data, in order to have an advantage in developing vaccines that may soon have worldwide demand.

[sharon sanders]

Thank you very much Al.

[sharon sanders]

Donaldson - That news source is not reliable. It is a sales site that issues press releases to generate business.

[sharon sanders]

Thank you Theresa42, Snowy Owl, Siam for your contributions to a very interesting thread.

[Siamese]

Just a thought here, why would WHO ever admit, to changing the levels and not announcing it. Maybe they decided to keep it as quiet as they can? There must be a reason why three different papers decided to run the story. What happened to BF in Indonesia, it's very quiet there except for the occasional story.

[Theresa42]

I emailed Dick Thompson who wrote back and said: "WHO has definitely NOT changed its pandemic alert level. It remains where it has been, at level THREE."

Which didn't actually answer my question because I asked if there are separate WHO levels for different countries (I know the WHO hasn't changed its global pandemic alert level). I also asked if he could offer an explanation for the reports somehow -- I was thinking perhaps the journalist(s) mistook Indonesia gov't levels for WHO levels -- or perhaps they just got it wildly wrong.

I've emailed one of the newspapers in question to see if they can clarify.

Maybe it's a problem with the machine-translation and the article was merely speculating on what might happen -- or that the WHO was perhaps contemplating the idea. Maybe the journalist in question got the story completely wrong. I dunno. I'd still like some clarification.

Thanks for sending an email, LaidbackAl!

[sharon sanders]

Also, thanks to you Theresa for sending yours.