# 3759
Some reassurance this morning from WHO Director Margaret Chan that the novel H1N1 virus has apparently not undergone any genetic changes that would alter its virulence or the efficacy of the vaccine now being produced.
The standard disclaimers apply, of course. Only a tiny fraction of virus samples from around the world are genetically sequenced, and we have limited understanding of what genetic changes would affect the virulence of this strain.
Hence the use of the word, `apparently’.
Still, this has to be regarded as good news. At least when compared to the alternative.
Swine flu has not mutated into more serious disease: WHO
Agence France-Presse | 09/21/2009 5:32 PM
HONG KONG - The head of the World Health Organization said Monday the swine flu virus had apparently not yet mutated into a more serious disease and that the development of vaccines was proceeding on track.
The vaccines for (A)H1N1 influenza produced so far have been very effective, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said at the opening ceremony for the organisation's annual Western Pacific meeting in Hong Kong.
"The virus can mutate any time. But from April to now, we can see from the data given to us by laboratories worldwide that the virus is still very similar (to the previous state)," Chan told reporters.
Chan said the biggest challenge in combating the pandemic would be ensuring enough vaccine got to the world's poorest countries.
Ideally, three billion doses could be produced worldwide annually, she told the meeting, noting that China had already begun to vaccinate people.
