Canada will not change its approach to the A/H1N1 flu even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a pandemic, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said on Thursday.

"I want to reassure Canada ... we were prepared for this decision and this decision does not change our approach in Canada," Aglukkaq said at a press conference in Ottawa.

"It is primarily a technical decision (by the WHO)," Aglukkaq said. "Thankfully, the vast majority of illnesses remain mild."

Canada's chief public health officer, David Butler-Jones, said the WHO move was "based on the spread of the virus, not the severity."

"We will continue to tailor our domestic responses and public health measure to our own situation and to the evolving needs of Canadians," he said at the news conference. "Within our borders ...the virus continues to behave like the seasonal flu."

Earlier Thursday in Geneva, WHO Director General Margaret Chan announced the advance of the flu pandemic alert level to Phase 6, its highest level. However, she stressed that the word "pandemic" mainly reflects the geographic spread of the virus, instead of these verity of the disease it has caused.

She said current assessments made by experts suggest that the first pandemic in the 21st century should be a moderate one in terms of severity.

The H1N1 flu virus has been reported in 74 countries, has caused 141 confirmed deaths and at least 27,737 cases of illnesses.

While the total number of deaths is small, it is still more serious than regular flu. About half the people who have died were previously young and healthy -- people who are not usually susceptible to flu.

(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2009)