WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the outbreak in Mexico and the United States constituted a "public health emergency of international concern."

So far, no other countries have reported suspicious cases, according to WHO.

But the French government said suspected cases are likely to occur in the coming days because of global air travel. A French government crisis group began operating Saturday. The government has already closed the French school in Mexico City and provided French citizens there with detailed instructions on precautions.

SHOOT: This means that travel advisories could be imminent. It also means that a sickness exists that could kill you that may be walking through a terminal and on its way to your neighborhood right now.

clipped from news.yahoo.com GENEVA – The World Health Organization warned countries around the world Saturday to be on alert for any unusual flu outbreaks after a unique new swine flu virus was implicated in possibly dozens of human deaths in North America. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the outbreak in Mexico and the United States constituted a "public health emergency of international concern." The decision means countries around the world will be asked to step up reporting and surveillance of the disease, which she said had "pandemic potential" because it is an animal virus strain infecting people. But the agency cannot at this stage say "whether or not it will indeed cause a pandemic," she added. In theory, WHO could now recommend travel advisories, trade restrictions or border closures, none of which would be binding. So far it has refrained from doing so. At least 62 people have died from severe pneumonia caused by a flu-like illness in Mexico, WHO says.