EU promises action not panic over swine flu pandemic

(BRUSSELS) - EU officials promised measures on Thursday to reduce the impact of swine flu after the World Health Organisation declared the outbreak a pandemic, while refusing to give in to panic.

"The Czech (EU) presidency and the (European) Commission will continue to play an active role in planning, coordinating and facilitating measures to contain and mitigate the effects of influenza A (H1N1)," they said in a statement.

"We will continue to follow closely the development of the situation and act accordingly."

Earlier Thursday, the WHO declared the first influenza pandemic in four decades, as it determined that further spread of swine flu was "inevitable," raising its alert to the highest level.

"We are in close contact with the WO and we are not thinking of restricting travel," Czech Transport Minister Gustav Slamecka said after chairing a meeting with his EU counterparts in Luxembourg.

Likewise, EU Transport Commissioner Antonio Tajani said: "Personally, I am always very cautious when we starting triggering health alerts."

"There have not been any very grave cases in the EU and therefore we should remain cautious otherwise we risk causing general panic," he said with 268 cases recorded across the EU with none fatal.