Fight flu outbreak on a global scale

The recent outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the US calls for a global effort that addresses the problem with immediacy and efficiency. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described the situation as having "pandemic potential" because such a virus has not been seen before.

Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, said: "The situation is evolving quickly... In the assessment of the WHO, this is a serious situation which must be watched very closely. This is an animal strain of the HIN1 virus, and it has pandemic potential because it is infecting people."

Tackling the problem requires coordination and cooperation on a global scale. In addition, the WHO as well as governments around the world have to be concise and clear in communicating the virus's dangers and ways of containing it. Perhaps it is this aspect that would prove to be the most challenging.