Germany braces for possible spread of swine flu

Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases said at a news conference on Tuesday that there were signs the H1N1 swine flu virus was mutating, and warned a more aggressive form of the infection could soon start to spread.

The head of the RKI, Joerg Hacker, raised the alarm after observing how the flu was developing in Australia and South America.

"It's possible the virus has mutated," said Hacker, the head of the institute.

"In autumn, the mutated form could spread to the northern hemisphere and back to Germany," he added.

After visiting the Robert Koch Institute, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the news conference in Berlin that Germany is "very well prepared" to meet the threat.

"We are in contact about it internationally," she said. "Now all we have to do is coordinate internationally who should be vaccinated and how we should do it, in case things get worse."

With some 275 confirmed cases, Germany currently has the third-highest swine flu infection rate in Europe.

WHO warns of a second wave of the virus

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this week that if a second wave of the virus is combined with a seasonal flu, the virus will become much more deadly. So far, symptoms of swine flu have been fairly mild with most of those infected experiencing minor signs such as headaches or sore throats.

According to the WHO's latest figures, of the 52,000 confirmed cases worldwide, around 230 people have died of the virus. The WHO's Director-General Margaret Chan recently described the virus as "pretty stable", but she warned this could change.

The WHO has advised governments to prepare a long-term strategy to deal with the swine flu, which it raised to pandemic status earlier this month.

dc/Reuters/dpa
Editor: Andreas Illmer