[Fwd: NOTICE TO STAFF FROM DIR/HRM : Swine Influenza]

[ICTP Info Point]

Dear all,
please see the below message from HQ regarding the swine influenza. ICTP 
is in contact with the Italian health authorities and the UN designated 
medical doctor in Italy.
kind regards
Dag Harald Johannessen

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	NOTICE TO STAFF FROM DIR/HRM : Swine Influenza
Date: 	Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:22:01 +0200
From: 	Dufresne-Klaus, Dyane <d.dufresne-klaus at unesco.org>
To: 	Liste.UNESCO <Liste.UNESCO at unesco.org>
CC: 	Liste.DELEGATIONS <Liste.DELEGATIONS at unesco.org>



*/
/*

As announced in the news on 24 April 2009, the Governments of Mexico and 
the USA reported human cases of swine influenza, a new subtype of 
Influenza Type A(H1N1) not previously detected in bovine or humans.  
Since then, other cases have been reported in other countries.  On 25 
April, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) 
convened a meeting of its Emergency Committee to assess the situation.  
While the Emergency Committee identified gaps in knowledge, it agreed 
that this situation constitutes a public health emergency of 
international concern. WHO is closely monitoring the situation and is 
keeping UN organizations abreast of new developments.

Below you will find the most recent message from the Director of the UN 
Medical Office; yesterday late afternoon.

The UNESCO Chief Medical Officer, a.i., recommends that all staff and 
their dependents having recently returned (1 week or less) from areas 
concerned by this infection and who present fever with body ache, 
coughing and sore throat to stay home.  Staff at HQ should contact the 
HQ Medical Office (01.456.80858) or your regular medical practitioner. 
 While in the Field you should contact the UN Designated Medical 
Officer, inform the UNESCO-HQ Medical Office if necessary, and follow 
instructions as determined by the UN Management Country Team.

Also, UNESCO staff are asked to postpone all non-essential mission to 
affected areas.

* *

*We will keep you informed, however, you are also invited to access the 
WHO site for additional pertinent information on this infection and 
basic advice on prevention.   -  
*_http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html ___

 

Thank you for your attention.

D. Dufresne-Klaus

Director, HRM

 

 

*MESSAGE TO ALL UN STAFF GLOBALLY *

*27 April 2009*

We would like to inform all staff of a significant development this 
afternoon.  The WHO has raised the global influenza pandemic alert level 
from the current Phase 3 to Phase 4. Phase 4 is characterized by 
verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal 
influenza reassortant virus able to cause "community-level outbreaks". 
 The ability to cause sustained disease outbreaks in a community marks a 
significant upwards shift in the risk for a pandemic.  Phase 4 indicates 
a significant increase in risk of a pandemic, but it does not 
necessarily mean that a pandemic is a foregone conclusion.

WHO recommends that international travel not be restricted.  However, 
staff should delay international travel if ill, and those who develop 
flu-like symptoms (e.g. fever, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, chills, 
headaches, body aches, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting) following 
international travel should seek medical attention immediately.

Staff are further reminded that one of the most effective ways to reduce 
the risk of infection is to practice effective personal hygiene and to 
avoid close contact with sick people. If you do get sick with flu-like 
symptoms, you should stay home from work, limit contact with others to 
keep from infecting them, and contact your private physician.

At this time, healthy staff should report to work as usual. Should this 
situation change, staff will be informed accordingly.

More information on personal hygiene and infection control measures can 
be found in a pandemic booklet available on the UN Staff Pandemic 
Information Portal,* (**http://www.un.org/staff/pandemic/**)*  While 
this booklet was originally prepared for a possible avian origin for 
pandemic 'flu, the practical advice it contains is equally relevant for 
the current situation.

Staff should also review the following websites for the latest news:

·        _http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html _(WHO)
·        _http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm _(CDC)
·        _http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/home/home.shtml _(NYCDHMH)
·       
 _http://new.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=805&Itemid=569 
_(PAHO)

We will keep all staff updated as new information becomes available.

 

 


 

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