BERLIN, June 11 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese school in German western city of Duesseldorf has reported 30 cases of A/H1N1 flu, German authorities confirmed on Thursday.
This is the most concentrated outbreak of the flu cases so far in Germany, the most populous country in Europe.
The majority of the cases at the Japanese school in the city were detected on Wednesday evening, said Kathrin Rebbe, a spokeswoman for the health ministry in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The school has closed until next week and the infected children are now in quarantine, she added.
Duesseldorf is home to a large Japanese community in Germany, the biggest economy of Europe.
Prior to the collective outbreak in the school, Germany had 86 confirmed cases of the flu, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the country's federal agency for infectious diseases.
United Kingdom, France, Nederlands, Europe, and Scandinavia
Moderators: yankee-in-france, Fashionista
United Kingdom, France, Nederlands, Europe, and Scandinavia
by Eliza » Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:06 pm
Last edited by Eliza on Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:16 pm
Over 120 new A/H1N1 flu cases confirmed in Europe
www.chinaview.cn 2009-06-12 00:44:33 Print
STOCKHOLM, June 11 (Xinhua) -- A European health agency said on Thursday that 126 new A/H1N1 flu cases were reported in European countries within the last 24 hours.
Of the new cases, 72 were confirmed in Britain, 26 in Spain, six in Italy, four in Germany, three each in France and Sweden, two each in Norway, Denmark and Switzerland, and one each in Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Greece, Austria and Hungary, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in its daily situation report.
The total number of confirmed cases of the A/H1N1 flu virus in the EU (European Union) and EFTA (European Free Trade Association)countries rose to 1,565, with 357 cases in Spain and 822 in Britain, 71 in France and 90 in Germany, the ECDC said.
The majority of the newly reported cases were from Britain and Spain. An additional 13 EU and EFTA countries also reported confirmed cases, the report noted.
The ECDC publishes a daily situation report about A/H1N1 flu cases in the EU and EFTA countries based on official information from these countries.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-06-12 00:44:33 Print
STOCKHOLM, June 11 (Xinhua) -- A European health agency said on Thursday that 126 new A/H1N1 flu cases were reported in European countries within the last 24 hours.
Of the new cases, 72 were confirmed in Britain, 26 in Spain, six in Italy, four in Germany, three each in France and Sweden, two each in Norway, Denmark and Switzerland, and one each in Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Greece, Austria and Hungary, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in its daily situation report.
The total number of confirmed cases of the A/H1N1 flu virus in the EU (European Union) and EFTA (European Free Trade Association)countries rose to 1,565, with 357 cases in Spain and 822 in Britain, 71 in France and 90 in Germany, the ECDC said.
The majority of the newly reported cases were from Britain and Spain. An additional 13 EU and EFTA countries also reported confirmed cases, the report noted.
The ECDC publishes a daily situation report about A/H1N1 flu cases in the EU and EFTA countries based on official information from these countries.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:50 pm
Germany confirms more A/H1N1 flu infections
www.chinaview.cn 2009-06-13 00:22:48 Print
BERLIN, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The confirmed A/H1N1 flu infections in Germany has increased to 111 cases until Friday, according to the country's federal agency for infectious diseases, the Robert Koch Institute.
Meanwhile the number of children at a Japanese school in the western German city of Duesseldorf who have tested positive for A/H1N1 virus has risen to 46, in addition to three of their parents, local officials said Friday.
This is the most concentrated outbreak of the flu so far in Germany, the most populous country in Europe.
The school in Duesseldorf will be closed until the end of next week. The infected children, most of them have not turned on severe symptoms, are under quarantine at home.
At another school in the western German city of Cologne, the number of A/H1N1 infections has increased to eight after the first four cases were confirmed on Wednesday, local officials said on Friday.
The German military meanwhile also reported one case of the A/H1N1 infection with a 36-year-old army officer from Lower Saxony being diagnosed with the flu virus after returning from a training trip to the United States.
The German Health Minister Ulla Schmidt on Friday expressed worry about a coincidence of the A/H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu in autumn, which she said could lead to dangerous mutations.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-06-13 00:22:48 Print
BERLIN, June 12 (Xinhua) -- The confirmed A/H1N1 flu infections in Germany has increased to 111 cases until Friday, according to the country's federal agency for infectious diseases, the Robert Koch Institute.
Meanwhile the number of children at a Japanese school in the western German city of Duesseldorf who have tested positive for A/H1N1 virus has risen to 46, in addition to three of their parents, local officials said Friday.
This is the most concentrated outbreak of the flu so far in Germany, the most populous country in Europe.
The school in Duesseldorf will be closed until the end of next week. The infected children, most of them have not turned on severe symptoms, are under quarantine at home.
At another school in the western German city of Cologne, the number of A/H1N1 infections has increased to eight after the first four cases were confirmed on Wednesday, local officials said on Friday.
The German military meanwhile also reported one case of the A/H1N1 infection with a 36-year-old army officer from Lower Saxony being diagnosed with the flu virus after returning from a training trip to the United States.
The German Health Minister Ulla Schmidt on Friday expressed worry about a coincidence of the A/H1N1 flu and the seasonal flu in autumn, which she said could lead to dangerous mutations.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Sun Jun 14, 2009 1:55 am
Britain prepares for flu surge in fall
Published: June 12, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Britain is preparing now for an expected surge in swine flu cases when children return from their summer vacations, health officials said.
Millions in Britain could be infected, including an estimated 25 percent of healthcare professionals who would be needed to treat others, Department of Health officials told The Daily Telegraph in a story published Friday.
An surge in cases is expected this fall when children return to school and again after the Christmas holidays, the Telegraph reported.
Widespread illness likely would lead to mass school closures, said Neil Ferguson, a professor of outbreak analysis at London's Imperial College.
So far this year, at least 20 schools in England and Scotland have closed for up to a week because of students testing positive for the H1N1 flu strain. In all, 848 people have tested positive for the virus in Britain with 30,000 confirmed cases and 144 deaths worldwide.
Published: June 12, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Britain is preparing now for an expected surge in swine flu cases when children return from their summer vacations, health officials said.
Millions in Britain could be infected, including an estimated 25 percent of healthcare professionals who would be needed to treat others, Department of Health officials told The Daily Telegraph in a story published Friday.
An surge in cases is expected this fall when children return to school and again after the Christmas holidays, the Telegraph reported.
Widespread illness likely would lead to mass school closures, said Neil Ferguson, a professor of outbreak analysis at London's Imperial College.
So far this year, at least 20 schools in England and Scotland have closed for up to a week because of students testing positive for the H1N1 flu strain. In all, 848 people have tested positive for the virus in Britain with 30,000 confirmed cases and 144 deaths worldwide.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:42 pm
UK reports its first swine flu death
June 14, 2009
LONDON (AP) — A person has died of swine flu at a hospital in Scotland in the first death from the illness reported in Britain, officials said Sunday.
It also was the first death from the H5N1 strain of influenza reported outside the Americas by the World Health Organization in Geneva or the European Centers for Disease Control in Stockholm, which both keep tabs on confirmed cases of swine flu and deaths from the illness in countries around the world.
Scotland's government said the patient suffering from swine flu died at a hospital there. It said the patient was one of 10 people being treated for the influenza at the facility.
(snip)
June 14, 2009
LONDON (AP) — A person has died of swine flu at a hospital in Scotland in the first death from the illness reported in Britain, officials said Sunday.
It also was the first death from the H5N1 strain of influenza reported outside the Americas by the World Health Organization in Geneva or the European Centers for Disease Control in Stockholm, which both keep tabs on confirmed cases of swine flu and deaths from the illness in countries around the world.
Scotland's government said the patient suffering from swine flu died at a hospital there. It said the patient was one of 10 people being treated for the influenza at the facility.
(snip)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:47 pm
First British swine flu death is confirmed in Scotland
Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 14 June 2009 21.40 BST Article history
A patient suffering from swine flu has died in hospital in Scotland, becoming the first person outside the Americas to have been killed by the virus.
The Scottish government disclosed that the patient, thought to be from the Glasgow area and one of 10 Scots in hospital with the H1N1 virus, had underlying health problems.
The announcement came after health officials said earlier today that nearly 500 people in Scotland had now been diagnosed with the virus, with a large majority in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area.
The Scottish government released a statement shortly before 8pm tonight, stating: "With regret, we can confirm that one of the patients who had been in hospital and had been confirmed as suffering from the H1N1 virus, has died today.
"At the family's request, to allow them some time to come to terms with their loss, no further details will be released tonight."
The death follows repeated warnings from the Scottish health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, that swine flu was likely to continue spreading, after it became clear last week that efforts to contain the virus had failed.
Last week, Scottish ministers pre-empted a World Health Organisation decision to declare a world wide pandemic on Wednesday by announcing that it was widespread in the community, particularly in Glasgow and in two nearby towns, Paisley and Dunoon.
Sturgeon had also warned that a fatality was inevitable, although officials had hoped that this first wave of infections would subside quickly, before a more intense surge of cases in the autumn.
Although more than 1,000 Britons and over 680 elsewhere in Europe have contracted H1N1, until today fatalities had been confined to north, central and south America. The latest WHO swine flu bulletin said on Friday there had been 145 confirmed deaths, chiefly in Mexico and the United States.
Earlier today, the Scottish government reported there were 498 cases confirmed so far, after 35 new cases were confirmed, with 32 of those in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area.
The Health Protection Agency in England reported 61 fresh cases, chiefly in the Birmingham area, where health officials believe there is a similar rate of infections to the Glasgow area, bringing the UK total to 1,251. Of the 752 cases confirmed in England, 354 are in the West Midlands.Speaking before the death emerged, Sturgeon said: "We continue to see a rise in cases of H1N1 around the world, and Scotland is not isolated from that.
"Given the number of cases being confirmed in the West Midlands, there is an indication that the area is experiencing a level of spread similar to what we are seeing in Scotland.
(snip)
Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 14 June 2009 21.40 BST Article history
A patient suffering from swine flu has died in hospital in Scotland, becoming the first person outside the Americas to have been killed by the virus.
The Scottish government disclosed that the patient, thought to be from the Glasgow area and one of 10 Scots in hospital with the H1N1 virus, had underlying health problems.
The announcement came after health officials said earlier today that nearly 500 people in Scotland had now been diagnosed with the virus, with a large majority in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area.
The Scottish government released a statement shortly before 8pm tonight, stating: "With regret, we can confirm that one of the patients who had been in hospital and had been confirmed as suffering from the H1N1 virus, has died today.
"At the family's request, to allow them some time to come to terms with their loss, no further details will be released tonight."
The death follows repeated warnings from the Scottish health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, that swine flu was likely to continue spreading, after it became clear last week that efforts to contain the virus had failed.
Last week, Scottish ministers pre-empted a World Health Organisation decision to declare a world wide pandemic on Wednesday by announcing that it was widespread in the community, particularly in Glasgow and in two nearby towns, Paisley and Dunoon.
Sturgeon had also warned that a fatality was inevitable, although officials had hoped that this first wave of infections would subside quickly, before a more intense surge of cases in the autumn.
Although more than 1,000 Britons and over 680 elsewhere in Europe have contracted H1N1, until today fatalities had been confined to north, central and south America. The latest WHO swine flu bulletin said on Friday there had been 145 confirmed deaths, chiefly in Mexico and the United States.
Earlier today, the Scottish government reported there were 498 cases confirmed so far, after 35 new cases were confirmed, with 32 of those in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area.
The Health Protection Agency in England reported 61 fresh cases, chiefly in the Birmingham area, where health officials believe there is a similar rate of infections to the Glasgow area, bringing the UK total to 1,251. Of the 752 cases confirmed in England, 354 are in the West Midlands.Speaking before the death emerged, Sturgeon said: "We continue to see a rise in cases of H1N1 around the world, and Scotland is not isolated from that.
"Given the number of cases being confirmed in the West Midlands, there is an indication that the area is experiencing a level of spread similar to what we are seeing in Scotland.
(snip)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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Sad, sad story
by Eliza » Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:45 am
Scots new mum is first European swine flu fatality
Jun 15 2009
A NEW mum yesterday became the first person in Europe to die from swine flu.
The 39-year-old, who had other medical problems, had been battling the virus for more than a fortnight.
Her baby was born two weeks ago. Doctors in Paisley delivered the tot almost three months prematurely on June 1 because the mum was so ill.
Nearly 500 people in Scotland have now been confirmed as having swine flu.
Eleven people have been treated in hospital for the virus in the past week.
The mum, believed to be from Paisley, was admitted to Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital when she first fell ill.
She was transferred to Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital where doctors decided to induce the birth at 29 weeks. The baby, who does not have swine flu, was transferred to a specialist unit at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow. The mum remained at RAH.
Aberdeen University bacteriologist Professor Hugh Pennington, said of the tragedy: “It’s very sad but with the number of cases we have seen it is really something which was always going to happen sooner or later.
Several patients are being treated at the RAH for swine flu.
A second Paisley patient, a 45-year-old man, fell critically ill with swine flu without suffering from any other illness.
And a third victim, a 23-year-old woman from Paisley, was said to be stable after treatment
Another 35 cases were diagnosed in Scotland yesterday, taking the total to 498.
Thirty-two of the new cases were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board areas, with one each in Highland, Forth Valley and Grampian.
A further 175 possible cases are being investigated.
Britain has 1226 swine flu cases – more than any other country in Europe.
(snipped)
Jun 15 2009
A NEW mum yesterday became the first person in Europe to die from swine flu.
The 39-year-old, who had other medical problems, had been battling the virus for more than a fortnight.
Her baby was born two weeks ago. Doctors in Paisley delivered the tot almost three months prematurely on June 1 because the mum was so ill.
Nearly 500 people in Scotland have now been confirmed as having swine flu.
Eleven people have been treated in hospital for the virus in the past week.
The mum, believed to be from Paisley, was admitted to Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital when she first fell ill.
She was transferred to Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital where doctors decided to induce the birth at 29 weeks. The baby, who does not have swine flu, was transferred to a specialist unit at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow. The mum remained at RAH.
Aberdeen University bacteriologist Professor Hugh Pennington, said of the tragedy: “It’s very sad but with the number of cases we have seen it is really something which was always going to happen sooner or later.
Several patients are being treated at the RAH for swine flu.
A second Paisley patient, a 45-year-old man, fell critically ill with swine flu without suffering from any other illness.
And a third victim, a 23-year-old woman from Paisley, was said to be stable after treatment
Another 35 cases were diagnosed in Scotland yesterday, taking the total to 498.
Thirty-two of the new cases were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board areas, with one each in Highland, Forth Valley and Grampian.
A further 175 possible cases are being investigated.
Britain has 1226 swine flu cases – more than any other country in Europe.
(snipped)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:41 pm
Three more A/H1N1 flu cases confirmed in Finland
www.chinaview.cn 2009-06-15 21:23:33 Print
HELSINKI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Three more people, all returning from New York, the United States, were confirmed to have been infected by the A/H1N1 flu virus in Finland, local media reported on Monday.
One of those infected is the father of two children who were infected over the weekend. The family returned to Helsinki from New York last Friday.
The other two cases were found in eastern Finland, one man in the city of Joensuu and the other in the city of Lappeenranta. Both had returned from New York last week.
A total of 10 A/H1N1 cases have now been confirmed in Finland.
All travelers, especially those from New York, are recommended to undergo a week of self-observation, and contact health centers if necessary.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-06-15 21:23:33 Print
HELSINKI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Three more people, all returning from New York, the United States, were confirmed to have been infected by the A/H1N1 flu virus in Finland, local media reported on Monday.
One of those infected is the father of two children who were infected over the weekend. The family returned to Helsinki from New York last Friday.
The other two cases were found in eastern Finland, one man in the city of Joensuu and the other in the city of Lappeenranta. Both had returned from New York last week.
A total of 10 A/H1N1 cases have now been confirmed in Finland.
All travelers, especially those from New York, are recommended to undergo a week of self-observation, and contact health centers if necessary.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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Sad, sad commentary :(
by Eliza » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:40 pm
Double loss for A/H1N1 flu family
The family of the first person in Europe to die after being diagnosed with A/H1N1 flu has suffered a double tragedy with the death of her baby.
Jacqueline Fleming, 38, from Glasgow, died on Sunday at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
Her son Jack, who was born 11 weeks early, died on Monday in a special care baby unit at the same hospital.
The baby was not infected with the Influenza A (H1N1) virus. He was two weeks old when he died.
In a statement, the father, William McCann said it was an extremely distressing and difficult time for the family.
He said: "My beautiful son was born on the first of June 2009, 11 weeks early.
"He suffered from a number of complications and despite his brave fight he passed away earlier this evening at the Special Care Baby Unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley."
A female friend of the family said: "I think they are taking it really badly. She was in hospital for a couple of weeks and there were days she was getting better and days she was taking a turn for the worse.
"They hoped she was going to pull through and it was a shock when she died. The family are really devastated."
She added: "She was a really nice lady, really kind, a quiet woman, just a family person really."
A further 71 new cases of swine flu have been confirmed by GPs in Scotland , bringing the total to 569. All of the new cases were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS area.
In England, the Health Protection Agency said another 59 cases had been confirmed.
(snipped)
The family of the first person in Europe to die after being diagnosed with A/H1N1 flu has suffered a double tragedy with the death of her baby.
Jacqueline Fleming, 38, from Glasgow, died on Sunday at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
Her son Jack, who was born 11 weeks early, died on Monday in a special care baby unit at the same hospital.
The baby was not infected with the Influenza A (H1N1) virus. He was two weeks old when he died.
In a statement, the father, William McCann said it was an extremely distressing and difficult time for the family.
He said: "My beautiful son was born on the first of June 2009, 11 weeks early.
"He suffered from a number of complications and despite his brave fight he passed away earlier this evening at the Special Care Baby Unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley."
A female friend of the family said: "I think they are taking it really badly. She was in hospital for a couple of weeks and there were days she was getting better and days she was taking a turn for the worse.
"They hoped she was going to pull through and it was a shock when she died. The family are really devastated."
She added: "She was a really nice lady, really kind, a quiet woman, just a family person really."
A further 71 new cases of swine flu have been confirmed by GPs in Scotland , bringing the total to 569. All of the new cases were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS area.
In England, the Health Protection Agency said another 59 cases had been confirmed.
(snipped)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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Red Flag!
by Eliza » Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:10 pm
Large increase in swine flu cases
BBC-
Health chiefs say 124 new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the West Midlands region.
It brings the total number of cases in the region to 512 - more than half of the number of cases in England.
The next worst affected English region is London with 176 cases while there have been 498 cases in Scotland.
Nunnery Wood High School, Worcester, has closed for the week after three pupils were diagnosed. At least 40 schools in the region have been hit.
BBC-
Health chiefs say 124 new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the West Midlands region.
It brings the total number of cases in the region to 512 - more than half of the number of cases in England.
The next worst affected English region is London with 176 cases while there have been 498 cases in Scotland.
Nunnery Wood High School, Worcester, has closed for the week after three pupils were diagnosed. At least 40 schools in the region have been hit.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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Now, I guess England will stop counting and testing ;)
by Eliza » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:21 pm
City 'cannot contain swine flu'
BBC-
Health officials in Birmingham say the spread of swine flu in the city can no longer be contained.
Fifty-five new cases have been confirmed in the West Midlands region taking the total to 567 - more than half of the total cases in England.
The city council's health scrutiny committee was told officials want to move to "mitigating" the outbreak.
Sean Connolly, the city's director of resources, said the Department of Health was listening to its concerns.
'Different response'
He said: "Containment is too late in Birmingham. We are planning for the mitigation phase."
Under the containment policy all those people who may potentially have come into contact with an infected individual are offered anti-viral drugs.
The aim is effectively to isolate the virus, allowing no opportunity for it to spread further.
But once cases become too frequent to contain, drugs are only given to those people, such as family members, who are at significant risk of infection.
It is also thought that health officials will now rely for an initial diagnosis on GPs rather than waiting for confirmation by laboratory test results.
Mr Connolly said he would "like to proceed" to a policy of mitigation.
"The Department of Health is listening to what we are saying. I would be very surprised if the DoH didn't look at our circumstances and use a different response."
There are currently 1,582 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK.
Health officials have blamed the extent of the virus in the West Midlands on an outbreak at Welford Primary School, Handsworth, Birmingham.
It shut in May with nearly 200 people connected to the school diagnosed with the virus although it has since reopened.
Dr Sue Ibbotson, of the Health Protection Agency, said it was not surprising cases had spread to other schools in the area.
The BBC understands 34 of the city's schools have been affected by the virus.
BBC-
Health officials in Birmingham say the spread of swine flu in the city can no longer be contained.
Fifty-five new cases have been confirmed in the West Midlands region taking the total to 567 - more than half of the total cases in England.
The city council's health scrutiny committee was told officials want to move to "mitigating" the outbreak.
Sean Connolly, the city's director of resources, said the Department of Health was listening to its concerns.
'Different response'
He said: "Containment is too late in Birmingham. We are planning for the mitigation phase."
Under the containment policy all those people who may potentially have come into contact with an infected individual are offered anti-viral drugs.
The aim is effectively to isolate the virus, allowing no opportunity for it to spread further.
But once cases become too frequent to contain, drugs are only given to those people, such as family members, who are at significant risk of infection.
It is also thought that health officials will now rely for an initial diagnosis on GPs rather than waiting for confirmation by laboratory test results.
Mr Connolly said he would "like to proceed" to a policy of mitigation.
"The Department of Health is listening to what we are saying. I would be very surprised if the DoH didn't look at our circumstances and use a different response."
There are currently 1,582 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK.
Health officials have blamed the extent of the virus in the West Midlands on an outbreak at Welford Primary School, Handsworth, Birmingham.
It shut in May with nearly 200 people connected to the school diagnosed with the virus although it has since reopened.
Dr Sue Ibbotson, of the Health Protection Agency, said it was not surprising cases had spread to other schools in the area.
The BBC understands 34 of the city's schools have been affected by the virus.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:02 am
From London....
Swine flu 'could infect up to half the population'
Health authorities told to set up testing and drug distribution centres in case of autumn outbreak
By Jonathan Owen
Sunday, 21 June 2009
A medical researcher working to produce a DNA test for swine flu, which is spreading more quickly in the UK
Primary care trusts are to set up anti-viral drug distribution centres and swine flu testing clinics amid fears that the infection could spread out of control.
The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, wrote to health authorities last week urging hospitals to test all patients who show signs of flu-like symptoms. He wrote: "Transmission from person to person in this country is increasingly common. There is evidence that sporadic cases are arising with no apparent link either to cases elsewhere in the UK or to travel abroad."
The letter followed an earlier warning from Sir Liam that millions of Britons could fall victim to swine flu in the coming months. Government officials admitted last night that illness rates from the virus could reach 50 per cent.
Primary care trusts are now being briefed to expect that the pandemic could affect as much as 40 per cent of the workforce before the end of the year, with many worried that there could be a surge of cases in the autumn, according to health industry sources.
The Department of Health sought to reassure the public last night. A spokesman said: "Previous pandemics have seen total illness levels of 25-35 per cent. So our plans are as robust as possible, we have based them on illness rates of 50 per cent, though we do not anticipate it being this high in the current pandemic. Based on this figure, the workforce could be reduced by 15-20 per cent at the pandemic's peak. In the unlikely event that every school closed, this could rise to 35 per cent." He said it was impossible to predict when the pandemic would peak, but added: "As part of ongoing planning, the NHS is being asked to ensure that antiviral collection points could, if needed, be put into action in a week."
Keen to avoid panic, the Government is careful to present official statistics showing "laboratory-confirmed" cases, which currently stand at 2,244. Yet the true scale of infections is far higher than headline figures suggest. The total number of cases either confirmed by laboratory tests or "clinically presumed" currently stands at 3,725.
Almost 400 cases of swine flu in Britain have occurred as a result of in-country transmission, according to latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Control. The virus is continuing to gain ground, with a number of people falling ill without having been abroad or in contact with previously confirmed cases – a signal that transmission is "growing in some areas of the country", according to the Health Protection Agency. The HPA said: "We would need to have a significant number of people where you really don't know how they have got it for it to be classified as sustained community transmission. We are getting closer to that, but are not there yet."
This comes a week after Jacqui Fleming, 38, of Glasgow, became the first person to die from swine flu outside North America. Since then, health officials in Birmingham have said they can no longer contain the spread of the virus, and in Glasgow, a series of swine flu testing clinics have been set up.
Meanwhile, calls to NHS hotlines have almost doubled in the past week. Latest figures from NHS Direct reveal that 2,356 calls about swine flu were made on Thursday 18 June, up from 1,280 a week earlier.
Under a new scheme that began in June, hundreds of people calling NHS Direct about swine flu have been sent swab kits to return for testing.
Economic toll: Pandemic to cost Britain £42bn
£42bn losses are predicted to hit Britain as a result of a three per cent fall in gross domestic product (GDP) due to the swine flu pandemic, according to a new report from the Oxford Economics think tank, due to be released tomorrow.
Researchers claim that swine flu could threaten already fragile businesses and put further strains on financial markets in what could become a "vicious cycle that postpones the recovery".
Deflation is a "significant risk" as a result of the pandemic's impact on the economy – putting back economic recovery by two years, says the report. The predictions are based on a 30 per cent infection rate, should a pandemic begin in October and last for six months.
A $2.5 trillion cut in global GDP is a possibility – with a flu outbreak in the autumn hitting the world economy just as it starts to recover from the credit crunch.
Swine flu 'could infect up to half the population'
Health authorities told to set up testing and drug distribution centres in case of autumn outbreak
By Jonathan Owen
Sunday, 21 June 2009
A medical researcher working to produce a DNA test for swine flu, which is spreading more quickly in the UK
Primary care trusts are to set up anti-viral drug distribution centres and swine flu testing clinics amid fears that the infection could spread out of control.
The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, wrote to health authorities last week urging hospitals to test all patients who show signs of flu-like symptoms. He wrote: "Transmission from person to person in this country is increasingly common. There is evidence that sporadic cases are arising with no apparent link either to cases elsewhere in the UK or to travel abroad."
The letter followed an earlier warning from Sir Liam that millions of Britons could fall victim to swine flu in the coming months. Government officials admitted last night that illness rates from the virus could reach 50 per cent.
Primary care trusts are now being briefed to expect that the pandemic could affect as much as 40 per cent of the workforce before the end of the year, with many worried that there could be a surge of cases in the autumn, according to health industry sources.
The Department of Health sought to reassure the public last night. A spokesman said: "Previous pandemics have seen total illness levels of 25-35 per cent. So our plans are as robust as possible, we have based them on illness rates of 50 per cent, though we do not anticipate it being this high in the current pandemic. Based on this figure, the workforce could be reduced by 15-20 per cent at the pandemic's peak. In the unlikely event that every school closed, this could rise to 35 per cent." He said it was impossible to predict when the pandemic would peak, but added: "As part of ongoing planning, the NHS is being asked to ensure that antiviral collection points could, if needed, be put into action in a week."
Keen to avoid panic, the Government is careful to present official statistics showing "laboratory-confirmed" cases, which currently stand at 2,244. Yet the true scale of infections is far higher than headline figures suggest. The total number of cases either confirmed by laboratory tests or "clinically presumed" currently stands at 3,725.
Almost 400 cases of swine flu in Britain have occurred as a result of in-country transmission, according to latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Control. The virus is continuing to gain ground, with a number of people falling ill without having been abroad or in contact with previously confirmed cases – a signal that transmission is "growing in some areas of the country", according to the Health Protection Agency. The HPA said: "We would need to have a significant number of people where you really don't know how they have got it for it to be classified as sustained community transmission. We are getting closer to that, but are not there yet."
This comes a week after Jacqui Fleming, 38, of Glasgow, became the first person to die from swine flu outside North America. Since then, health officials in Birmingham have said they can no longer contain the spread of the virus, and in Glasgow, a series of swine flu testing clinics have been set up.
Meanwhile, calls to NHS hotlines have almost doubled in the past week. Latest figures from NHS Direct reveal that 2,356 calls about swine flu were made on Thursday 18 June, up from 1,280 a week earlier.
Under a new scheme that began in June, hundreds of people calling NHS Direct about swine flu have been sent swab kits to return for testing.
Economic toll: Pandemic to cost Britain £42bn
£42bn losses are predicted to hit Britain as a result of a three per cent fall in gross domestic product (GDP) due to the swine flu pandemic, according to a new report from the Oxford Economics think tank, due to be released tomorrow.
Researchers claim that swine flu could threaten already fragile businesses and put further strains on financial markets in what could become a "vicious cycle that postpones the recovery".
Deflation is a "significant risk" as a result of the pandemic's impact on the economy – putting back economic recovery by two years, says the report. The predictions are based on a 30 per cent infection rate, should a pandemic begin in October and last for six months.
A $2.5 trillion cut in global GDP is a possibility – with a flu outbreak in the autumn hitting the world economy just as it starts to recover from the credit crunch.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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Important information from the Germans.
by Eliza » Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:35 pm
German authorities warn of swine flu mutation risk
Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:19pm EDT
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's federal agency for infectious diseases said on Tuesday there were signs the H1N1 swine flu virus had started to mutate and warned it could spread in the coming months in a more aggressive form.
Experts were concerned about how the flu was developing in Australia and South America, said Joerg Hacker, head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases.
"It's possible the virus has mutated. In autumn the mutated form could spread to the northern hemisphere and back to Germany," Hacker told a news conference in Berlin.
The World Health Organization raised swine flu to pandemic status earlier this month. According to its latest figures, more than 230 people have been killed by the flu worldwide from 52,000 confirmed cases, mostly in the United States and Mexico.
Symptoms of swine flu are typically fairly mild, but doctors have said the virus could evolve into something more aggressive.
According to WHO figures, Germany has the third highest rate of swine flu infection in Europe with 275 confirmed cases.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the conference that Germany was as prepared as it could be for any surge in cases.
"We are in contact about it internationally," she said. "Now all we have to do is coordinate internationally who should be vaccinated and how we should do it, in case things get worse."
The WHO has advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against the new pandemic it officially calls A(H1N1).
WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said recently the virus is currently "pretty stable," but warned it could still change into a more deadly form, perhaps mixing with the H5N1 bird flu virus circulating widely in poultry.
(For latest WHO figures please go to here)
(Reporting by Marc Jones, editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:19pm EDT
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's federal agency for infectious diseases said on Tuesday there were signs the H1N1 swine flu virus had started to mutate and warned it could spread in the coming months in a more aggressive form.
Experts were concerned about how the flu was developing in Australia and South America, said Joerg Hacker, head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases.
"It's possible the virus has mutated. In autumn the mutated form could spread to the northern hemisphere and back to Germany," Hacker told a news conference in Berlin.
The World Health Organization raised swine flu to pandemic status earlier this month. According to its latest figures, more than 230 people have been killed by the flu worldwide from 52,000 confirmed cases, mostly in the United States and Mexico.
Symptoms of swine flu are typically fairly mild, but doctors have said the virus could evolve into something more aggressive.
According to WHO figures, Germany has the third highest rate of swine flu infection in Europe with 275 confirmed cases.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the conference that Germany was as prepared as it could be for any surge in cases.
"We are in contact about it internationally," she said. "Now all we have to do is coordinate internationally who should be vaccinated and how we should do it, in case things get worse."
The WHO has advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against the new pandemic it officially calls A(H1N1).
WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said recently the virus is currently "pretty stable," but warned it could still change into a more deadly form, perhaps mixing with the H5N1 bird flu virus circulating widely in poultry.
(For latest WHO figures please go to here)
(Reporting by Marc Jones, editing by Mark Trevelyan)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:29 pm
You can't just make this stuff up.
Birmingham identifies temporary morgues as swine flu cases rocket
Jun 21 2009 by Christina Savvas, Sunday Mercury
1 2 next
HEALTH chiefs have earmarked Midland sites for temporary morgues as they struggle to cope with the swine flu epidemic.
Several locations across Birmingham have been identified as suitable for makeshift mortuaries to store bodies if the pandemic leads to mass casualties.
Although there has only been one UK fatality through swine flu so far, there are concerns that deaths could increase considerably if Britain suffers a freezing winter.
The West Midlands is the worst hit region in the country with 860 people struck down by the potentially lethal H1N1 virus. A staggering 112 new cases were confirmed last night.
The Health Protection Agency has now been forced to switch its strategy in the region after admitting that it can no longer contain the number of cases.
Alistair Bartholomew, regional health emergency planning adviser for the agency, confirmed that makeshift morgues were identified at an early stage of the outbreak.
The plans were part of preparations for a worldwide pandemic – when the authorities first feared the worst.
He said: “It’s done at an international, national, regional and local level. Temporary morgues could be used for anything which could cause an excess number of deaths.
“This is the case for an influenza pandemic and it’s done on the basis of looking at the worst case scenario.
“It would be a large secure site with the facilities necessary for a temporary mortuary.
“The number of sites depends on the size, whether it is a site capable of holding 100 people or 1,000 people or more.”
During a 2000 flu outbreak in the Midlands refrigerated lorries were used to store bodies outside hospitals.
Mr Bartholomew added: “In terms of deaths this is a mild form of flu, not a particularly dangerous strain.
“In most cases which have led to deaths there are underlying health problems and the flu is the final straw.
“It is difficult to make predictions because this virus is particularly sneaky. It is not behaving as we expected – it spread slower than we anticipated.
“But we expect over the next month to see the number of people affected increase significantly.”
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “We have temporary mortuary arrangements in place if required. These plans have been tested and are fit for purpose – and are looked at nationally as good practice.
‘‘We have multi-agency planning arrangements that will enable us to respond to any flu pandemic in Birmingham, and there are similar plans in place that cover the wider West Midlands conurbation too.’’
Last week, it emerged that patients in the West Midlands are no longer being given routine swab tests to test for swine flu.
If they have symptoms and have been in contact with a confirmed case, officials will diagnose them with the disease and offer anti-virus drugs.
Birmingham identifies temporary morgues as swine flu cases rocket
Jun 21 2009 by Christina Savvas, Sunday Mercury
1 2 next
HEALTH chiefs have earmarked Midland sites for temporary morgues as they struggle to cope with the swine flu epidemic.
Several locations across Birmingham have been identified as suitable for makeshift mortuaries to store bodies if the pandemic leads to mass casualties.
Although there has only been one UK fatality through swine flu so far, there are concerns that deaths could increase considerably if Britain suffers a freezing winter.
The West Midlands is the worst hit region in the country with 860 people struck down by the potentially lethal H1N1 virus. A staggering 112 new cases were confirmed last night.
The Health Protection Agency has now been forced to switch its strategy in the region after admitting that it can no longer contain the number of cases.
Alistair Bartholomew, regional health emergency planning adviser for the agency, confirmed that makeshift morgues were identified at an early stage of the outbreak.
The plans were part of preparations for a worldwide pandemic – when the authorities first feared the worst.
He said: “It’s done at an international, national, regional and local level. Temporary morgues could be used for anything which could cause an excess number of deaths.
“This is the case for an influenza pandemic and it’s done on the basis of looking at the worst case scenario.
“It would be a large secure site with the facilities necessary for a temporary mortuary.
“The number of sites depends on the size, whether it is a site capable of holding 100 people or 1,000 people or more.”
During a 2000 flu outbreak in the Midlands refrigerated lorries were used to store bodies outside hospitals.
Mr Bartholomew added: “In terms of deaths this is a mild form of flu, not a particularly dangerous strain.
“In most cases which have led to deaths there are underlying health problems and the flu is the final straw.
“It is difficult to make predictions because this virus is particularly sneaky. It is not behaving as we expected – it spread slower than we anticipated.
“But we expect over the next month to see the number of people affected increase significantly.”
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “We have temporary mortuary arrangements in place if required. These plans have been tested and are fit for purpose – and are looked at nationally as good practice.
‘‘We have multi-agency planning arrangements that will enable us to respond to any flu pandemic in Birmingham, and there are similar plans in place that cover the wider West Midlands conurbation too.’’
Last week, it emerged that patients in the West Midlands are no longer being given routine swab tests to test for swine flu.
If they have symptoms and have been in contact with a confirmed case, officials will diagnose them with the disease and offer anti-virus drugs.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:41 pm
Flu cases out of control in England
The Sun
By EMMA MORTON
Health and Science Editor
Published: Today
SWINE flu is so out of control in parts of England that labs will no longer test for it, health chiefs said last night.
Cases have soared in London and the West Midlands.
Doctors have been ordered to abandon the practice of “swabbing” for the virus — after which samples are sent to Health Protection Agency labs.
But as the number of UK cases hit 3,597, Britain’s top doctor Sir Liam Donaldson ordered the authorities to “contain” the outbreak instead.
Patients with symptoms will be treated as victims, he said.
Swabbing will take place only in a handful of cases — so docs can monitor the virus’s strength.
There are 1,358 confirmed cases in the West Midlands and 760 in London alone.
Sir Liam also told medics to ration anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and warned: “We still think we are heading for the largest surge of cases in the autumn and winter.”
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: “If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned, the advice is to stay at home.”
TWO schools in Ealing, West London, and another in Bushey, Herts, were shut after the virus hit pupils — while 15 students have tested positive at the University of Exeter.
The Sun
By EMMA MORTON
Health and Science Editor
Published: Today
SWINE flu is so out of control in parts of England that labs will no longer test for it, health chiefs said last night.
Cases have soared in London and the West Midlands.
Doctors have been ordered to abandon the practice of “swabbing” for the virus — after which samples are sent to Health Protection Agency labs.
But as the number of UK cases hit 3,597, Britain’s top doctor Sir Liam Donaldson ordered the authorities to “contain” the outbreak instead.
Patients with symptoms will be treated as victims, he said.
Swabbing will take place only in a handful of cases — so docs can monitor the virus’s strength.
There are 1,358 confirmed cases in the West Midlands and 760 in London alone.
Sir Liam also told medics to ration anti-flu drugs like Tamiflu and warned: “We still think we are heading for the largest surge of cases in the autumn and winter.”
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: “If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned, the advice is to stay at home.”
TWO schools in Ealing, West London, and another in Bushey, Herts, were shut after the virus hit pupils — while 15 students have tested positive at the University of Exeter.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:05 am
- Location: Deep in the hills with my rifle, bible, and pony
by Eliza » Mon Jun 29, 2009 3:36 pm
9 year old UK girl dead with A/H1N1
June 29, 2009
A nine-year-old girl is the third person to have died in the UK after catching swine flu.
The girl died at Birmingham children's hospital on Friday evening. Her death is the first in England associated with swine flu.
Two people have died in Scotland – both had other significant health problems. They were an unnamed 73-year-who died on Saturday night after 15 days in intensive care; and Jacqui Fleming, 38, who died after giving birth prematurely two weeks ago.
Both died at the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley, near Glasgow. As news of the latest death emerged, the Department of Health announced the number of patients in England confirmed with swine flu had jumped to 4,968 – an increase of 1,604 since Friday. The total for the UK stands at 5,937.
Six people had suspected swine flu at the Glastonbury festival. Health officials said this was remarkably low given that more than 150,000 people were there in close quarters. The good weather is thought to have helped. The incubation period of three to four days means other cases may emerge.
Because of the outbreak's scale, public health officials in hotspots such as London, the west Midlands and parts of Scotland are no longer tracing people who have come into contact with confirmed cases. Doctors are confirming cases on the spot rather than through laboratory results.
A handful of ball boys and girls at Wimbledon, where attendance reached 40,000 a day, have been advised to stay at home after suffering flu-like symptoms.
Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard:
+44 (0)20 3353 2000
(snipped)
(from news sources)
June 29, 2009
A nine-year-old girl is the third person to have died in the UK after catching swine flu.
The girl died at Birmingham children's hospital on Friday evening. Her death is the first in England associated with swine flu.
Two people have died in Scotland – both had other significant health problems. They were an unnamed 73-year-who died on Saturday night after 15 days in intensive care; and Jacqui Fleming, 38, who died after giving birth prematurely two weeks ago.
Both died at the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley, near Glasgow. As news of the latest death emerged, the Department of Health announced the number of patients in England confirmed with swine flu had jumped to 4,968 – an increase of 1,604 since Friday. The total for the UK stands at 5,937.
Six people had suspected swine flu at the Glastonbury festival. Health officials said this was remarkably low given that more than 150,000 people were there in close quarters. The good weather is thought to have helped. The incubation period of three to four days means other cases may emerge.
Because of the outbreak's scale, public health officials in hotspots such as London, the west Midlands and parts of Scotland are no longer tracing people who have come into contact with confirmed cases. Doctors are confirming cases on the spot rather than through laboratory results.
A handful of ball boys and girls at Wimbledon, where attendance reached 40,000 a day, have been advised to stay at home after suffering flu-like symptoms.
Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard:
+44 (0)20 3353 2000
(snipped)
(from news sources)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:29 pm
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
First swine flu death in Spain
Woman dies from swine flu in Madrid
It has been announced that a 20 year old woman who was admitted to hospital a fortnight ago suffering from swine flu in Spain died in the early hours of this morning.
The woman was asthmatic and according to first reports her condition worsened over the weekend due to complications from pneumonia. According to official health sources she is the first person to die from Swine Flu in Spain.
Trinidad Jiménez, the Minister for Health, will give more information on her death during a press conference scheduled for 9.30am this morning. Juan José Güemes, the Director of Health Services for the Comunidad de Madrid, will also appear before the press.
The young woman who was admitted to hospital on 15th June was 28 weeks pregnant and was given a caesarean on Monday. Doctors decided to carry out the operation in order to save the life of the baby she was carrying due to the worsening state of the woman. According to information provided by the hospital the baby is doing well.
This case which represents the first death from Swine Flu in Spain is the fourth death from the disease in Europe. A second swine flu sufferer, 32 year old man, is reported to be in a very serious condition in the hospital Joan XXIII hospital in Tarragona, Spain.
First swine flu death in Spain
Woman dies from swine flu in Madrid
It has been announced that a 20 year old woman who was admitted to hospital a fortnight ago suffering from swine flu in Spain died in the early hours of this morning.
The woman was asthmatic and according to first reports her condition worsened over the weekend due to complications from pneumonia. According to official health sources she is the first person to die from Swine Flu in Spain.
Trinidad Jiménez, the Minister for Health, will give more information on her death during a press conference scheduled for 9.30am this morning. Juan José Güemes, the Director of Health Services for the Comunidad de Madrid, will also appear before the press.
The young woman who was admitted to hospital on 15th June was 28 weeks pregnant and was given a caesarean on Monday. Doctors decided to carry out the operation in order to save the life of the baby she was carrying due to the worsening state of the woman. According to information provided by the hospital the baby is doing well.
This case which represents the first death from Swine Flu in Spain is the fourth death from the disease in Europe. A second swine flu sufferer, 32 year old man, is reported to be in a very serious condition in the hospital Joan XXIII hospital in Tarragona, Spain.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:05 am
- Location: Deep in the hills with my rifle, bible, and pony
100,000 a day x .5% fatality rate= 500 deaths per day
by Eliza » Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:26 am
but don't be alarmed. 
Britain faces 100,000 swine flu cases a day: minister
By Trudy Harris – 14 hours ago
LONDON (AFP) — Britain could have more than 100,000 cases of swine flu a day by the end of August, the government said Thursday, while stressing there was no need for alarm.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the figures could occur if current trends of infection continued in Britain, where the number of cases of the A(H1N1) virus is doubling every week and has reached nearly 7,500.
"Cases are doubling every week, and on this trend we could see over 100,000 cases a day by the end of August, but I stress this is only a projection," Burnham told the House of Commons, the lower house of parliament.
"This situation may change and of course we must always plan for the more difficult circumstances," he later told reporters.
The rising number of cases has forced health officials to abandon a policy of trying to contain the virus, and will instead focus on treating infected people with antiviral drugs, with high-risk patients given priority.
Laboratory testing will no longer be conducted to confirm cases and drugs will not be given to close contacts of those infected unless they show symptoms.
"People should be reassured and should not be alarmed by this change (of dealing with the virus). But we must continue to treat the virus with the greatest of respect and proceed with caution at all times," Burnham said.
Three people have died in Britain after contracting the virus, which erupted in Mexico in late March before spreading around the world. All three had pre-existing health problems.
England's chief medical officer Liam Donaldson said the virus was not spreading out of control, and health authorities were continuing to fight it "very aggressively".
"It isn't out of control. It's following a predictable path," he said.
"But flu viruses whether they are seasonal or novel pandemic viruses like this cannot be controlled and put back in their box until you have an effective vaccine."
The first batches of swine flu vaccines were set to arrive in Britain in August, with 60 million doses available by the end of the year -- enough for half of the population, Burnham said, adding that more would follow.
Donaldson said it was unclear why the virus appeared to be spreading faster in Britain than elsewhere in Europe, suggesting large amounts of travel between Britain and North America, where case numbers are high, could be one reason.
"That's one factor but we can't be absolutely sure," Donaldson said.
The heavily populated West Midlands region in central England, which includes the city of Birmingham, is one of several declared hot spots.
Burnham suggested close family ties among large numbers of Asian and other families living there could be a reason for the higher number of cases.
People with swine-flu symptoms are being advised to contact health services or their doctor and stay at home. A friend or family member will be delegated to collect antivirals from pharmacies and other drug collection points.
The latest numbers from the World Health Organisation, released on Wednesday, showed 77,201 people reported swine flu cases worldwide, with 332 deaths.
Argentina has surpassed Canada as the country with the most swine flu-linked deaths after the United States and Mexico.
Britain faces 100,000 swine flu cases a day: minister
By Trudy Harris – 14 hours ago
LONDON (AFP) — Britain could have more than 100,000 cases of swine flu a day by the end of August, the government said Thursday, while stressing there was no need for alarm.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the figures could occur if current trends of infection continued in Britain, where the number of cases of the A(H1N1) virus is doubling every week and has reached nearly 7,500.
"Cases are doubling every week, and on this trend we could see over 100,000 cases a day by the end of August, but I stress this is only a projection," Burnham told the House of Commons, the lower house of parliament.
"This situation may change and of course we must always plan for the more difficult circumstances," he later told reporters.
The rising number of cases has forced health officials to abandon a policy of trying to contain the virus, and will instead focus on treating infected people with antiviral drugs, with high-risk patients given priority.
Laboratory testing will no longer be conducted to confirm cases and drugs will not be given to close contacts of those infected unless they show symptoms.
"People should be reassured and should not be alarmed by this change (of dealing with the virus). But we must continue to treat the virus with the greatest of respect and proceed with caution at all times," Burnham said.
Three people have died in Britain after contracting the virus, which erupted in Mexico in late March before spreading around the world. All three had pre-existing health problems.
England's chief medical officer Liam Donaldson said the virus was not spreading out of control, and health authorities were continuing to fight it "very aggressively".
"It isn't out of control. It's following a predictable path," he said.
"But flu viruses whether they are seasonal or novel pandemic viruses like this cannot be controlled and put back in their box until you have an effective vaccine."
The first batches of swine flu vaccines were set to arrive in Britain in August, with 60 million doses available by the end of the year -- enough for half of the population, Burnham said, adding that more would follow.
Donaldson said it was unclear why the virus appeared to be spreading faster in Britain than elsewhere in Europe, suggesting large amounts of travel between Britain and North America, where case numbers are high, could be one reason.
"That's one factor but we can't be absolutely sure," Donaldson said.
The heavily populated West Midlands region in central England, which includes the city of Birmingham, is one of several declared hot spots.
Burnham suggested close family ties among large numbers of Asian and other families living there could be a reason for the higher number of cases.
People with swine-flu symptoms are being advised to contact health services or their doctor and stay at home. A friend or family member will be delegated to collect antivirals from pharmacies and other drug collection points.
The latest numbers from the World Health Organisation, released on Wednesday, showed 77,201 people reported swine flu cases worldwide, with 332 deaths.
Argentina has surpassed Canada as the country with the most swine flu-linked deaths after the United States and Mexico.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:05 am
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by Eliza » Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:58 am
Posted on Fri, Jul. 3, 2009
Troubling signs on swine flu in Britain and Mexico
By Maria Cheng and Olga R. Rodriguez
Associated Press
LONDON - Britain faces a projected 100,000 new swine flu cases a day by the end of August, the nation's health minister said yesterday, and the virus is showing signs of rebounding in Mexico.
Britain has officially reported 7,447 swine flu cases and three deaths, but officials acknowledge the real number of cases is far higher, since many have not been tested.
Britain is the hardest-hit nation in Europe amid the global swine flu epidemic. Many flu experts believe numbers could jump exponentially now that the virus is entrenched. Few people have natural immunity, allowing it to spread rapidly.
The World Health Organization's director-general, Margaret Chan, and health ministers from around the globe met yesterday in Cancun, Mexico, for a two-day summit to design strategies against the pandemic.
Mexican officials wanted the meeting held in the Caribbean resort city - where tourism has plunged - to highlight the country's success in controlling its epidemic with a five-day shutdown of businesses and schools in May.
But Mexico is starting to see an increase in infections in isolated areas. In southern Chiapas state and the state of Yucatan - adjacent to Quintana Roo state, where Cancun is located - cases have more than doubled in a worrying sign that the country may experience a resurgence, especially when its winter flu season begins in November.
Britain, meanwhile, has been reporting several hundred infections a day.
"Cases are doubling every week, and on this trend we could see over 100,000 cases per day by the end of August," Health Minister Andy Burnham told the House of Commons yesterday. That could mean six million people, or 10 percent of the population, infected by the fall.
Other experts wondered how Burnham came up with the 100,000 prediction.
"It seems like a lot of mathematical modeling and not too much common sense," said John Oxford, a professor of virology at St. Bart's and Royal London Hospital.
Britain had been trying to contain the disease by liberally giving out the drug Tamiflu to all suspected swine flu cases and their contacts, a strategy that some other countries tried and quickly abandoned.
Burnham said Britain would now give the drug only to people believed to have the virus.
Troubling signs on swine flu in Britain and Mexico
By Maria Cheng and Olga R. Rodriguez
Associated Press
LONDON - Britain faces a projected 100,000 new swine flu cases a day by the end of August, the nation's health minister said yesterday, and the virus is showing signs of rebounding in Mexico.
Britain has officially reported 7,447 swine flu cases and three deaths, but officials acknowledge the real number of cases is far higher, since many have not been tested.
Britain is the hardest-hit nation in Europe amid the global swine flu epidemic. Many flu experts believe numbers could jump exponentially now that the virus is entrenched. Few people have natural immunity, allowing it to spread rapidly.
The World Health Organization's director-general, Margaret Chan, and health ministers from around the globe met yesterday in Cancun, Mexico, for a two-day summit to design strategies against the pandemic.
Mexican officials wanted the meeting held in the Caribbean resort city - where tourism has plunged - to highlight the country's success in controlling its epidemic with a five-day shutdown of businesses and schools in May.
But Mexico is starting to see an increase in infections in isolated areas. In southern Chiapas state and the state of Yucatan - adjacent to Quintana Roo state, where Cancun is located - cases have more than doubled in a worrying sign that the country may experience a resurgence, especially when its winter flu season begins in November.
Britain, meanwhile, has been reporting several hundred infections a day.
"Cases are doubling every week, and on this trend we could see over 100,000 cases per day by the end of August," Health Minister Andy Burnham told the House of Commons yesterday. That could mean six million people, or 10 percent of the population, infected by the fall.
Other experts wondered how Burnham came up with the 100,000 prediction.
"It seems like a lot of mathematical modeling and not too much common sense," said John Oxford, a professor of virology at St. Bart's and Royal London Hospital.
Britain had been trying to contain the disease by liberally giving out the drug Tamiflu to all suspected swine flu cases and their contacts, a strategy that some other countries tried and quickly abandoned.
Burnham said Britain would now give the drug only to people believed to have the virus.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
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by Eliza » Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:33 pm
Spain prepares for A/H1N1 flu epidemic
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-03 18:50:48 Print
MADRID, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish government is readying itself for an epidemic of the A/H1N1 flu virus by preparing enough vaccine to protect 40 percent of the population.
Minister of Health and Social Security Trinidad Jimenez announced on Friday that the country has ordered 18 million doses of the future vaccine against the virus.
A total of 760 cases of the A/H1N1 virus have been detected in Spain, with one fatality, when a young woman of Moroccan origin died in Madrid earlier in the week.
The Heath Ministry said Thursday that the majority of the cases in the country are among young adults and teenagers. However, Jimenez said she was preparing for the future when older members of the community could be more at risk.
"At the moment the conditions in the climate mean that the virus has still not shown itself with all of its intensity. We will have to wait until the autumn in order to see just how prevalent it is in our country," she said.
The latest cases of the A/H1N1 virus have occurred in the town of Puerto Real in the southwest of Spain. Fourteen nurses in a hospital have been affected by the flu and have begun treatment with anti-virus drugs.
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-03 18:50:48 Print
MADRID, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish government is readying itself for an epidemic of the A/H1N1 flu virus by preparing enough vaccine to protect 40 percent of the population.
Minister of Health and Social Security Trinidad Jimenez announced on Friday that the country has ordered 18 million doses of the future vaccine against the virus.
A total of 760 cases of the A/H1N1 virus have been detected in Spain, with one fatality, when a young woman of Moroccan origin died in Madrid earlier in the week.
The Heath Ministry said Thursday that the majority of the cases in the country are among young adults and teenagers. However, Jimenez said she was preparing for the future when older members of the community could be more at risk.
"At the moment the conditions in the climate mean that the virus has still not shown itself with all of its intensity. We will have to wait until the autumn in order to see just how prevalent it is in our country," she said.
The latest cases of the A/H1N1 virus have occurred in the town of Puerto Real in the southwest of Spain. Fourteen nurses in a hospital have been affected by the flu and have begun treatment with anti-virus drugs.
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:05 am
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by Eliza » Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:15 pm
July 4, 2009
London teenager becomes Britain's fourth swine flu death
A 19-year-old man has become the fourth person in Britain to die after contracting swine flu and the first fatal case in London, officials announced yesterday.
The unnamed man, was from South London.
He died on Wednesday but was confirmed to have the H1N1 virus only afterwards.
Jacqueline Fleming, 38, of Glasgow, was the first person in the UK to die after catching swine flu. Ms Fleming died last month, two weeks after her son, Jack, was born 11 weeks prematurely. Jack died later but had not been infected. The second victim was a 73-year-old man from the Inverclyde area of Scotland.
A week ago today, Sameerah Ahmad, 6, became the youngest UK victim to date. Sameerah, who was born with a rare, life-threatening disease, died at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
(Snipped)
London teenager becomes Britain's fourth swine flu death
A 19-year-old man has become the fourth person in Britain to die after contracting swine flu and the first fatal case in London, officials announced yesterday.
The unnamed man, was from South London.
He died on Wednesday but was confirmed to have the H1N1 virus only afterwards.
Jacqueline Fleming, 38, of Glasgow, was the first person in the UK to die after catching swine flu. Ms Fleming died last month, two weeks after her son, Jack, was born 11 weeks prematurely. Jack died later but had not been infected. The second victim was a 73-year-old man from the Inverclyde area of Scotland.
A week ago today, Sameerah Ahmad, 6, became the youngest UK victim to date. Sameerah, who was born with a rare, life-threatening disease, died at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
(Snipped)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:05 am
- Location: Deep in the hills with my rifle, bible, and pony
by Eliza » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:40 am
9/6/09
Nine-year-old with swine flu dies
A nine-year-old girl has become the fifth person with swine flu to die in the UK.
The child was from south London.
Last week a 19-year-old man, also from south London, died after contracting the virus.
London is the second-worst affected area. On Friday, the capital had more than 1,900 cases.
A spokesman for NHS London said the child died "over the weekend". He added that no other details would be released.
Last week, Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said the UK has moved beyond the stage of containing the flu into the "treatment phase", and advised people not to resort to self-medication.
Earlier experts warned that the number of cases in the UK could rise to 100,000 a day by the end of next month.
Jacqui Fleming, 38, of Glasgow, was the first after contracting the virus last month, two weeks after her son, Jack, was born 11 weeks prematurely. Jack died later but had not contracted the virus.
The second victim was a 73-year-old man from the Inverclyde area of Scotland.
The youngest UK victim was six-year-old Sameerah Ahmad. She was born with a rare life-threatening disease and died at Birmingham's Children's Hospital after contracting swine flu.
He said NHS London is running a series of newspaper and radio adverts to provide advice about swine flu.
Figures for confirmed cases are dated 2 July. This is because the Health Protection Agency has changed from daily to weekly updates.
(snipped to remove media talking points)
(from news sources)
Nine-year-old with swine flu dies
A nine-year-old girl has become the fifth person with swine flu to die in the UK.
The child was from south London.
Last week a 19-year-old man, also from south London, died after contracting the virus.
London is the second-worst affected area. On Friday, the capital had more than 1,900 cases.
A spokesman for NHS London said the child died "over the weekend". He added that no other details would be released.
Last week, Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said the UK has moved beyond the stage of containing the flu into the "treatment phase", and advised people not to resort to self-medication.
Earlier experts warned that the number of cases in the UK could rise to 100,000 a day by the end of next month.
Jacqui Fleming, 38, of Glasgow, was the first after contracting the virus last month, two weeks after her son, Jack, was born 11 weeks prematurely. Jack died later but had not contracted the virus.
The second victim was a 73-year-old man from the Inverclyde area of Scotland.
The youngest UK victim was six-year-old Sameerah Ahmad. She was born with a rare life-threatening disease and died at Birmingham's Children's Hospital after contracting swine flu.
He said NHS London is running a series of newspaper and radio adverts to provide advice about swine flu.
Figures for confirmed cases are dated 2 July. This is because the Health Protection Agency has changed from daily to weekly updates.
(snipped to remove media talking points)
(from news sources)
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Eliza - Posts: 9704
- Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:05 am
- Location: Deep in the hills with my rifle, bible, and pony
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