WHO to Hold Meeting of Pandemic Emergency Committee on Thursday as Swine Flu is Dangerously Close to 'Phase 6'

The World Health Organization is expected to hold a meeting of the National Pandemic Emergency Committee on Thursday of this week as worldwide concerns related to the H1N1 virus (commonly referred to as swine flu) still remain more than one month after the first cases were reported. According to sources, the rapid spread of swine flu in Australia has prompted WHO to take these emergency measures.

With more than 1,200 cases now recorded in Australia, WHO is expected to raise its Pandemic Alert level from Phase 5 to Phase 6, the highest threat level. Such a decision would signal a full-blown flu pandemic, something which hasn't happened since 1968. Under WHO guidelines, a virus is considered to be in Phase 6 when it spreads to an "established community" in a country outside of the initial region in which the disease was first reported.

Below are some stocks which could move on the news:

• Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN)
  
• Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD)
  
• Novavax (Nasdaq: NVAX)
  
• BioCryst Pharma (Nasdaq: BCRX)
  
• Vical (Nasdaq: VICL)
  
• Hemispherx BioPharma (AMEX: HEB)
  
• AVI BioPharma (Nasdaq: AVII)

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