As of June 11, the H1N1 virus has been confirmed as the cause of death in 144 cases, though Mexico and the United States represent 108 and 27 deaths respectively. There also have been more than 28,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection across 74 countries.

In response to the spreading outbreak of the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its pandemic preparedness alert level to phase 6 on a 6-phase scale. The increase in alert level means that a pandemic is underway with sustained community-level outbreaks in numerous countries across several geographies. Now is the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of planned mitigation measures.



Image provided by iJET's World Pandemic Monitor service.

View a larger version iJET's H1N1 Worldwide Map.

Although H1N1 may not be as severe a pandemic as originally envisioned, the social and economic impacts of the current outbreak have been evident as governments, corporate leaders, health care facilities, educational institutions, and other organizations take action.

During the initial phase of the outbreak, the United States government, for example, declared a "public health emergency" and began to release stockpiles of antiviral medications. In Mexico City, the government banned most large gatherings and ordered the closure of schools, gyms, pools, convention centers, and more.

While it is not expected that governments will impose restrictions on movement and trade at this stage, and, indeed, the WHO has cautioned against such measures, all organizations should evaluate their plans and capacity to respond to a pandemic. Given limited experience with pandemic and public concerns with the evolution of H1N1, the impacts from a higher severity pandemic are likely to exceed what most corporate and governmental leaders have imagined, or are prepared for.

Preparing for a Pandemic
Organizations are well advised to review their ability to respond to potential disruptions to their operations and protect the well-being of employees — whether caused by pandemic or other unforeseen events. Following are some of the many issues and actions that should be considered before a pandemic begins:

• Treat a pandemic as a truly catastrophic event as opposed to a "manageable disruption."
• Establish pandemic planning committees, supported by real budgets.
• Prioritize critical products and services and prepare to protect those, even at the expense of other important elements of a business model.
• Estimate and plan for post-pandemic changes, including shifts in demand patterns, in the availability and morale of staff, and in infrastructure, both locally and to vendors.

In the immediate term in relation to the H1N1 outbreak, Marsh recommends that organizations:

• Assess existing pandemic risk management plans and how the organization has performed to date in relation to H1N1.
• Ensure business continuity management (BCM) plans include pandemic scenarios and exercise the plans where possible.
• Review company policies on travel, on hygiene, and on anti-viral medications and health care support to ensure they are consistent with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and similar organizations.
• In highly populated areas, ensure the BCM plans allow for staff to work at home where appropriate.
• Consider if there are any vital processes that must be maintained in a pandemic, such as call centers, health services, and services vital to those most vulnerable.
• Decide what other core functions need to be kept running if the organization becomes short staffed.

The information in this center will be updated on a regular basis from subject matter experts from Marsh and other MMC Companies.

If you have any questions or concerns about pandemic preparedness, please do not hesitate to contact us. You should also seek guidance from health agencies and governmental entities for the most current information about the H1N1 pandemic in your locality.

Marsh Services and Resources for Preparing for Pandemic

Solution: Rapid Pandemic Preparedness Assessment
This service offering, from Marsh's Business Continuity Risk Management Practice, was specifically designed to help organizations complete a rapid review of existing pandemic preparedness plans, determine their effectiveness, and highlight potential gaps in the planning process.

Solution: Pandemic Risk Transfer as Part of Marsh's Global Supply Secure^sm
Marsh's Property Specialized Risk Group, a division of our Property Practice, offers Global Supply Secure, which can provide valuable protection for organizations that need pandemic coverage as part of their global supply chain coverage.

Video: Pandemic Preparedness
Gary Lynch, global leader of Marsh's Supply Chain Risk Management Practice, discusses pandemic preparedness on Bloomberg TV.

Risk Alert: H1N1 Influenza: Preparing for and Responding to a Pandemic
This new issue of Risk Alert discusses organizational pandemic preparedness and response and business continuity management, provides background information on the H1N1 virus and human influenza pandemics, highlights the international implications of a pandemic, and outlines some of the potential insurance coverage issues related to pandemics.

White Paper: Influenza A (H1N1) — Business Interruption and Time Element Coverage Considerations
This white paper from Marsh's Property and Property Claims practices provides an overview of the H1N1 flu and discusses potential insurance coverage issues in the event of business disruption due to the disease.

Bulletin: H1N1 Risk Management Adviser
This bulletin from Marsh provides insight into the current H1N1 outbreak and discusses its business continuity and insurance implications as organizations seek to prepare for a possible pandemic.

Webcast: H1N1 and Pandemic Preparedness
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control, Sysco, and Marsh discussed the potential dangers of H1N1, business resiliency, crisis management, workforce management, and insurance coverage issues at this May 7 New Reality of Risk webcast.

Survey: Test Your Pandemic Preparedness
The current H1N1 outbreak has highlighted gaps in many organizations' business continuity and crisis management plans — particularly in light of the potential economic, health, and social effects of a pandemic. Complete this survey to determine how ready your organization is, and learn about steps you can take to be prepared.

White Paper: Corporate Pandemic Preparedness: Current Challenges to and Best Practices for Building a More Resilient Enterprise
This report from Marsh and The Albright Group provides guidance with regards to the social and economic impacts of a pandemic and corporate response.

Resources: Links to Web Sites of Governmental and Other Agencies
This page contains links to several Web sites that provide information on the status of disease outbreaks. You should seek guidance from health agencies and governmental entities for the most current information on the H1N1 outbreak in your region.

Contact Us
Contact Marsh to discuss pandemic preparedness via e-mail: At.Risk@marsh.com. Or, contact us by phone at 866 9AtRisk (866 928 7475) and outside the U.S. and Canada at +1 212 345 9589.