The swine flu has spread far enough and fast enough to reach pandemic levels, and the World Health Organization raised the alert level to phase 6 today.  The Tennessee State Health Commissioner Susan Cooper says this reflects the spread, not the severity of the virus. 
"It will not influence or change any of our response activities," Cooper said. "However, we continue to urge all Tennesseans to take the necessary steps to prevent illness."
Tennessee currently has 114 confirmed cases of the novel H1N1 virus. The U.S. count stands at more than 13,000 cases, with 27 deaths.  The WHO reports nearly 30,000 cases in 74 countries. 
Health experts are worried about what will happen in the fall and winter, because no one is sure how the new virus will behave.  State Health officials urge people to to make frequent hand washing a standard practice, stay home when sick, and avoid close contact with people who are ill.  They also recommend that everyone get the new flu vaccine when it becomes available.