The World Health Organization still considers the 2010 H1N1 influenza to meet the standard of a “pandemic.”  A pandemic refers to spread not severity. World-wide, there still are enough cases to maintain the pandemic level assessment—although there are fewer cases everywhere, this U.S. News story says.

U. S. News and World Report

“A year ago, global alarm over the emergence of an unpredictable new strain of H1N1 pandemic flu was in full swing. Headlines blared that thousands were becoming sick; face masks and hand sanitizers were selling out as soon as they hit store shelves.”

…”On Thursday, Dr. Margaret Chan, head of the World Health Organization, announced that the virus is still considered pandemic, meaning widespread, although case numbers have ebbed considerably.

“Meanwhile in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that, as of May 22, just 1 percent of outpatient visits involved flu. (Emphasis added)

“But, the new H1N1 flu — sometimes called swine flu — long ago pushed aside prior seasonal flu viruses to become the dominant strain. And experts believe it will settle into the regular fall/winter outbreak pattern that people are used to.” (Emphasis added)

Source: U.S. News and World Report, June 4, 2010