MANILA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The spread of the influenza A/H1N1 virus may pick up in the Asia Pacific region with the onset of southern winter and the threat joined by the spread of seasonal influenza might take a heavy toll on countries' health system, a regional World Health Organization (WHO) expert warned Friday.
Dr. Julie Hall, an expert on Emerging Infectious Diseases, told a press conference here in the WHO Western Pacific Office that flu is usually seasonal, while there are no signs of slowdown in the spread of the A (H1N1) flu virus in the north hemisphere that enters summer, the south is facing more downside risks as the seasonal flu usually kicks in during the winter.
"With the seasonal flu circulating at the same time, it could put quite a lot more strain on the countries' health system," Hall said.
She said with vaccines of seasonal flu proven to be ineffective to the A (H1N1) influenza, humans can catch both flu at the same time.
Countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Pacific islands are urged to be particular vigilant to the double influenza threat.
By 0600 GMT May 22, the WHO has reported 11,168 cases of influenza A (H1N1) worldwide with 86 deaths since the first suspected cases were reported in Mexico in mid-April.
The WHO said while there are indications of a possible slowdown in the transmission of the virus in Mexico, it should not be taken to mean that the worst is over.
In the Western Pacific region, by May 21 there are 303 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1), with Japan topping the list with 276 confirmed cases, largely high school students.
Hall said working-age population, aged 25 to 44, are the most common target of this new influenza while countries that have a large proportion of young people, people with chronicle diseases and pregnant women are most vulnerable.
Although the WHO expert declined to name specific countries, many in the developing Asia can fall into the WHO's vulnerable list with the above-mentioned features.
An community outbreak of the influenza A(H1N1) may seriously disrupt the normal social functioning with quite a number of working-age people lying in bed for two to three weeks before a fully recovery.
However, Hall said Asia's past experience in dealing with SARS and the bird flu has made the region "more ready" to cope with the A(H1N1) influenza than it would have been a few years ago.
She said while a lot more features of this new virus are yet unknown, the WHO would only raise its Alert Phrase from the current five to six when "sustained community-level infection" is confirmed in second WHO region outside North America.
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