Between January 1, 2011 and March 2, 2011 there were 679 cases of Influenza A (H1N1) recorded in Malaysia. Three of the cases resulted in death. In addition to the cases reported by the Malaysian Ministry of Health, Egypt, Indonesia, Cambodia, South Korea and Hong Kong have also reported new cases of the H5N1 virus (avian flu).
According to researchers at MIT, a newly discovered mutation of the H1N1 virus appears to allow easier transmission among humans. Although this does not guarantee that a pandemic will occur, it does make it a more likely threat.