An emergency committee of the WHO in Geneva will declare the outbreak “a public health event of international concern” in a teleconference that began at 4 p.m. today, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting is confidential. In response, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan may raise the level of pandemic alert, which could lead to travel advisories aimed at curbing the disease’s spread.
The emergency committee will consider whether to declare the outbreak a matter of international concern, and whether to recommend travel advisories, Chan told journalists before the panel’s meeting.