In the USA, and especially in Mexico, several hundred people have developed swine flu caused by a new type of influenza virus. Other countries too have confirmed their first cases; the first case in Europe occurred in Spain.

The symptoms of the new flu are similar to those of seasonal flu, especially fever, respiratory symptoms and aching limbs; in Mexico there has been a number of deaths.

On 25.4.2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) classified this so-called A/H1N1 virus as a health risk of international significance; there was a comparable classification when SARS occurred in 2003.

On 27th April the World Health Organization proclaimed the pandemic warning phase 4, and in the evening of 29th April 2009 phase 5. Phase 5 is characterised by person-to-person transmission of the virus in at least two countries in a WHO region. The WHO emphasises that most countries throughout the world are not yet affected by the new influenza.

Source: Robert Koch Institute

Information on the current situation can be found here:

Situationseinschätzung zur Neuen Influenza (RKI)

Informationen zur neuen Grippe (RKI)

Wikipedia