GENEVA -- The World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic Thursday -- the first global flu epidemic in 41 years -- as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere approached 30,000 cases.

The long-awaited pandemic announcement is scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe. WHO will now ask drugmakers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine, which it said would be available after September.

WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan made the announcement Thursday after the U.N. agency held an emergency meeting with flu experts. Chan said she was moving to phase 6 -- the agency's highest alert level -- which means a pandemic, or global epidemic, is under way.

''The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century,'' Chan told reporters. ``The virus is now unstoppable.''

On Thursday, WHO said 74 countries had reported 28,774 cases of swine flu, including 144 deaths.

Chan described the danger posed by the virus as ``moderate.''

In Florida, there have been 247 swine flu cases, with 111 in Miami-Dade and 67 in Broward. None of the state's cases has been fatal.

''Luckily, it has remained mild,'' said Dr. Paula Thaqi, director of the Broward County Health Department. ``But we still want folks to continue the same precautions: cover your cough, wash your hands and stay home if you're sick.''

The agency has stressed that most cases are mild and require no treatment, but the fear is that a rash of new infections could overwhelm hospitals and health authorities -- especially in poorer countries.

Miami Herald staff writer Fred Tasker contributed to this report.

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