World reacts with calm to level 6

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The WHO's decision to raise its alert level to the highest level does NOT indicate that the virus had grown more lethal. But it is seen as a sign that a global outbreak was under way.

The move caused governments and health authorities across the globe to consider whether new measures should be adopted to deal with the disease.

In Mexico, where the epidemic was first detected, prevention measures have been in place for months.

Now, the number of reported new cases has seen a sharp drop, from an everage of three hundred to about 30 a day.

Jose Angel Cordova, Mexican Secretary of Health, said, "We no longer have any very serious cases. There are about 30 new cases per day throughout the entire country, and they are very isolated."

Over in the United States, which reported the most affected cases, health officials say the WHO's declaration of a flu pandemic will not change the way the US tackles the virus.

Thomas Frieden, Director of US Center for Disease Control & Prevention, said, "The practical implications are not significant. We have been acting as if it's a pandemic for some time, and of course, in the US and in the Americas, we have already had widespread continued transmission for some time. So this does not change any of our actions."

Yang Weizhong, Vice Director of Chinese Center for Disease Control & Prevention. (CCTV.com)