Several Canadian and U.S. Swine Flu-related stocks, which posted gains back in April as news of the H1N1 virus emerged, climbed Thursday, as the World Health Organization raised its pandemic flu alert for the influenza A H1N1 virus.
Reuters reported Thursday that Sweden’s health ministry said the World Health Organization was raising its pandemic flu alert for the influenza A H1N1 virus to phase 6 on a six-point scale, “indicating the first influenza pandemic since 1968 is under way,” reflecting the disease’s geographic spread.
“The move will trigger heightened health measures in the WHO's 193 member states as authorities brace for the worldwide spread of the virus that has so far caused mainly mild illness,” said Reuters.
In Canada, shares of air filter, face mask and antimicrobial product developer Noveko International (TSX: T.EKO, Stock Forum) climbed 6.8% to $2.35 Thursday. And, protein-based vaccine developer Medicago (TSX: V.MDG, Stock Forum) was last up 11% to 35 cents, while ALDA Pharmaceuticals (TSX: T.APH, Stock Forum) jumped 6% to 26 cents.
In the U.S., Ticker Trax planetary prospect BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BCRX, Stock Forum), gained 10.7% to $4.53, while Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX, Stock Forum), which creates vaccines designed to protect against various circulating strains of avian influenza as well as seasonal flu, jumped 9% to $3.27, and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK, Stock Forum) climbed $4.00 to $35.00.
On the Noveko Bullboard Thursday, rickydee said: “Along with SSS,APH and naturally MDG and EKO It is going to be a wild year for us all[sic]”