UpdateChems stress safety amid swine flu pandemic concerns

29 April 2009 23:23  [Source: ICIS news]

(Adds updates throughout)

WASHINGTON (ICIS news)--Chemical companies stressed preventive measures to deal with swine flu while the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday raised its alert level, saying that the chances of a worldwide pandemic were very high or even inevitable.

Speaking at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland,  director-general Margaret Chan said the spread of swine flu infections to more countries and deaths associated with the disease warranted the increased level of alert.

The WHO’s pandemic alert rating system has six phases, with stage five triggered by widespread human-to-human spread of a virus in two or more countries, an indication that a pandemic infection is imminent. Level six is reserved for actual pandemic activity, meaning widespread, community-wide human infections in multiple countries.

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed the first US swine flu death in Houston, the hub for much of the nation’s petrochemical production and trade.

In Houston, US oil and chemical company Shell was following the advice of the CDC and restrictnig non-essential travel to and from Mexico, company spokeswoman Robin Lebovitz said.

Texas Governor Rick Perry issued a disaster declaration for the entire state. Perry said Texas closing its border with Mexico could eventually become an option, but that it was premature to discuss at that point.

The flu situation was cause for concern in Louisiana, where three tanker workers exhibiting flu-like symptoms were forced on Tuesday to remain onboard the vessel when it arrived at a Dow Chemical plant near Baton Rouge, a US Border Protection spokesman said.

Border Patrol spokesman Troy Simon called the docking at Dow's Iberville Parish plant a "non-event". Simon said the workers had runny noses.

The workers were told to stay onboard the vessel Pacific Gas, Simon added.

Dow plant employees who interacted with the tanker crew were sent to a doctor for precaution but showed no flu-like symptoms and were back on the job, according to a Dow spokeswoman. The ship was loaded and left for Colombia on Tuesday night.

In Mexico, Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) earlier said it had adopted several safety measures, including a reduction of external visits by vendors and visitors.

The swine flu virus is suspected of killing over 150 people in Mexico, which borders Texas. In the US, 91 cases have been confirmed.

Earlier on Wednesday, Swiss pharmaceuticals firm Roche said it is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and governments around the world to make its oral antiviral medication Tamiflu available following increased reports of outbreaks of swine flu.

(Additional reporting by Heather Doyle, Ben DuBose, George Martin and Lane Kelley)

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