Swine flu has not yet peaked

A panel of experts warned the World Health Organisation (WHO) this week that the pandemic of H1N1 swine flu has not yet peaked, Reuters reports

"The committee advised that it was premature to conclude that all parts of the world have experienced peak transmission of the H1N1 pandemic influenza and that additional time and information was needed to provide expert advice on the status of the pandemic," the WHO said.

Under WHO rules the emergency committee, composed of 15 experts and headed by Australian John MacKenzie, makes confidential recommendations to WHO director-general Dr Margaret Chan.

Announcement today

The WHO's decision will be announced formally by the WHO's top flu expert Dr Keiji Fukuda this morning.

The virus has killed at least 16,000 people. It will take a year or two after the pandemic ends to establish the true death toll, the WHO says.