CNN WHO confirming backlog of suspected H1N1 cases

GENEVA, Switzerland: The World Health Organization said Saturday that although it is still preparing for a pandemic, the rise of confirmed cases of swine flu to 658 was largely because of confirmation of suspected cases in Mexico.

'I would still propose that a pandemic is imminent because we're seeing the disease spread to other countries. We have not seen yet that sustained transmission outside one WHO region,' said Dr. Michael J. Ryan, the WHO's director of its global alert and response team.

'Pandemics are serious,' he said, but it is important to note they describe 'the geographic spread of the disease, not its severity.'

The WHO reported 658 confirmed cases of swine flu, also known as 2009 H1N1, in 16 countries

CNN.com/Health: WHO confirming backlog of suspected H1N1 cases