Sunday, August 23, 2009

Climate has no impact on swine flu virus: WHO

Sun, Aug 23 09:46 AM

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) The World Health Organisation has said the swine flu virus is not affected by any variation in the temperature. Citing cumulative report of swine flu cases and deaths from different nations around the globe, WHO said the H1N1 virus has infected people from several countries with varying temperatures.

As per a WHO report, more than 18 lakh laboratories have confirmed cases of the pandemic influenza and nearly 1,800 deaths registered from across 177 countries and territories around the globe. Dr S J Habayeb, WHO representative in India, said, "H1N1 virus has no relation to weather.

Swine flu cases have been heard from countries with cold and hot temperatures." Citing example, he said, "Swine flu cases have been equally reported from Texas, New York and California, though the temperature varies in all the three places.

Texas is warmer than New York." According to WHO, over 1.8 lakh confirmed swine flu cases have been reported across the world.

Over one lakh people have tested positive for the virus in North and South America, where more than 1,500 deaths have been reported. This has been followed by European countries with over 32,000 people testing positive for the virus and more than 50 deaths reported from all over the continent.

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