WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years
The last pandemic -- the Hong Kong flu of 1968 -- killed about 1 million people. Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year.
In the United States, there have been more than 13,000 cases and at least 27 deaths from swine flu.
"At this early stage, the pandemic can be characterized globally as being moderate in severity," WHO said in the statement. "Phase 6, if we call a phase 6, doesn't mean anything concerning severity, it is concerning geographic spread ... Pandemic means global, but it doesn't have any connotation of severity or mildness," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said.
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