As many as 120,000 laboratory confirmed cases of H1N1 virus has been found globally, the UN health body has said adding majority of those cases are among children aged between 12 and 17. However, as the pandemic spreads further, other age groups are also becoming more affected, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
WHO says that its top priority is now to determine which age groups are at the highest risk — so that measures can be taken to protect them. At the same time, WHO notes that the pandemic is still considered to be moderate, with the majority of cases showing only mild symptoms.
WHO spokesperson Aphaluck Bhatiasevi told reporters at a news conference in Geneva that a special regional meeting of health ministers from 22 countries of the WHO Eastern-Mediterranean region last week recommended that people from high-risk population groups, including pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions, should reconsider travelling to the upcoming annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in November.
She added that WHO was also consulting governments and experts on other kinds of mass gatherings, such as concerts and the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa.
