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Anatomy of a flu pandemic so far
By Brigitte Castelnau, in Paris for AFP
 The A(H1N1) virus was identified for the first time at the end of March in Mexico and quickly spread, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring a global pandemic on June 11.
The WHO estimated that by early December the global death toll had passed 9,500 but experts gave warning that it was too early to be accurate.
There have been worldwide vaccination and awareness campaigns.
China, for example, had vaccinated more than 31 million people against the virus by early December with the aim of reaching up to 65 million by the end of the year.
"It is the first time that we have dealt with such a problem at a global level," said Sylvie Briand, a doctor who heads the WHO's Global Influenza Programme. Read more...
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