PREVENTIVE MEASURES

In a bid to prevent the virus from spreading, Israeli Health Ministry reported Saturday evening that all hospital managers, as well as district doctors, had been briefed on the signs of the new swine flu virus and on preparedness procedures.

The ministry also released a list of preventive measures to the public, including frequent hand-washing, particularly after coughing or sneezing, and a recommendation to anyone suspected of having contracted the virus and traveling for treatment not to take public transport.

Swine flu refers to influenza caused by any strain of the influenza virus that is endemic in pigs. Till now, more than 150 people have died in Mexico in an outbreak of the virus. Dozens of other cases have been confirmed worldwide.

The WHO on Monday raised its pandemic alert level from Phase 3 to Phase 4, which means the swine flu virus can cause sustained human-to-human transmission and "community-level outbreaks."

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Editor:Yang Jie