(CNN) -- The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic
alert level in response to the outbreak of swine flu that
originated in Mexico. Relatives of flu patients wait outside
Mexico's National Institute of Respiratory Diseases. The move to
a level four alert indicates the world body has determined the
virus is capable of significant human-to-human transmission. Dr.
Keiji Fukuda, WHO assistant director-general, said the move did
not mean a pandemic was inevitable. He added the agency would
focus efforts on mitigating, rather than containing, the virus.
Fukuda said it was too early to predict whether there will be a
mild or serious pandemic. More cases were confirmed Monday in
the United States, Canada and Europe. The WHO said the U.S. has
confirmed 47 cases, Mexico 26, Canada six and Spain one. Two
more were confirmed in Scotland. In Mexico the virus is believed
to be responsible for at least 149 deaths -- though most of
those have not yet been confirmed -- while almost 2,000 have
been hospitalized. Som