With the first flu pandemic in 41 years officially declared today by The World Health Organization (WHO), companies are again being urged to make sure that business continuity plans are in place and they're prepared for the outbreak.

Australian health authorities may have given the all clear for two local suspected cases of the swine flu virus -- which has killed more than 80 people in Mexico and infected 20 in the United States -- but concern over the spread of the potentially fatal disease has local CIOs revisiting their business continuity plans (BCP).

With the possibility of a swine flu pandemic in mind, CIO has put this collection of preparedness articles together to help companies review their own plans.

What you can do to prepare.

A simulation at MIT of an avian flu outbreak in China underscores the need for companies to consider possible supply chain disruptions as part of their plans for handling emergencies

A global virus affecting more than a quarter of the world's population is an unpalatable, but increasingly likely prospect. The impact on human life could be catastrophic, but the potential economic impact to organizations across the world also cannot be ignored.