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Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously, precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.

The international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

All countries should immediately now activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.

Based on assessment of all available information and following several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5.