Participants are seeking to reach agreement on standards for transparency, trust, and sovereignty related to sample sharing.
According to the latest WHO count, around 7,520 people in 34 countries have been infected with the strain that is a genetic mixture of swine, bird and human viruses. Belgium was the latest addition to the official tally. Ecuador also reported its first confirmed case.
Mexico has officially recorded 60 deaths from the virus that has also killed three people in the United States, one person in Canada and one in Costa Rica.
Most patients infected with the flu, which spreads like seasonal flu through sneezes, coughs and air droplets, have experienced mild symptoms and some appear to be asymptomatic.
But Dr Chan stressed that important risks remain. 'It is important that countries where cases are imported do not fall into a false sense of security. So make sure cases returning from travel do not spread in your community.' She said the WHO is closely watching parts of Southeast Asia that saw large outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu - a virus that can be deadly when it passes from birds to humans, but has not spread easily between people to date.
A mixture of H5N1 and H1N1 viruses could have a big impact, she said, while stressing: 'I am not saying it will happen.' -- REUTERS