GENEVA – The World Health Organization said Tuesday that an increase in swine flu cases in Australia might push it to finally announce the first flu pandemic in 41 years. It also expressed concern about an unusual rise in severe illness from the disease in Canada.

WHO flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the agency wanted to avoid “adverse effects” if it announces a global outbreak of swine flu. Fukuda said people might panic or that governments might take inappropriate actions if WHO declares a pandemic.

Some flu experts think the world already is in a pandemic and that WHO has caved in to country requests that a declaration be postponed.

“On the surface of it, I think we are in phase 6,” or a pandemic, WHO director-general Margaret Chan said.

Chan said it was important to verify the reports that the virus is becoming established outside North America before declaring a pandemic. “The decision to make a phase 6 announcement is a heavy responsibility, a responsibility that I will take very seriously,” she said.

Chan said she will hold a conference call with governments today in order to verify some reports she has received before making a formal announcement.