Swine Flu

So far the threat to the majority of the population has been minimal but in a small percentage of cases H1N1 infection has resulted in severe illness and even death. Many international agencies including the Dept of Health, the World Health Organization and our own Chief Medical Officer are agreed that we should stay alert and be prepared hould the situation deteriorate again in the coming months. Our Swine Flu News and the Swine Flu Survey in our Links section show the most up-to-date swine flu statistics, advice and information. The extracts below and the Swine Flu News section show how the situation has progressed.

June 2009

In May 2009 the World Health Organisation warned the international community that - “We may be facing a major swine flu pandemic and that it could lie dormant for several months only to reappear as a more virulent mutated strain later in the year. If this should happen, keeping surfaces disinfected, cleaning our skin and hands will be a vital element in preventing the spread of the infection.... “

Update 15 June 09

June 2009

Pandemic declared. First UK swine flu patient death

Prof. John Oxford said "We are preparing for a more severe outbreak in Autumn".

The swine flu virus claimed its first victim in the UK, after a female patient died in a Scottish hospital.

The death is the first outside the Americas, where more than 140 people have died since the pandemic began.

Swine flu has now infected almost 500 people in Scotland alone.

The BBC's medical correspondent Fergus Walsh said: "Swine flu does present a slightly higher risk to those with existing respiratory illness, asthma, cardiovascular disease and obesity."

He added: "It's worth remembering that seasonal flu kills several thousand people in the UK each winter. The difference with H1N1 swine flu is that the virus is almost exclusively targeting people under 65."

BBC 15 June 2009