14 further patients under investigation in England have today (Sunday) been confirmed with swine flu bringing the current total number of confirmed UK cases to 101.
There are six adults and eight children among the new confirmed cases in the East of England, London and the South East regions – 11 contacts of previously confirmed cases, 2 returning travellers and one whose source of infection remains under investigation.
155 cases are currently under laboratory investigation in the UK. These cases change on a daily basis. Because of the time-lag between the reporting of symptoms, the testing and the results, the new cases reported daily may have recovered and may now be symptom-free.
Public gatherings
There are no restrictions on public gatherings like music festivals. The Department of Health is advising people to carry on with their daily lives as normal.
For Immediate Help
Showing posts with label pigs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pigs. Show all posts
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure Swin Flu
Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure supplies of up to 90 million doses of pre-pandemic H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine before a pandemic begins, the Department of Health has announced.
The deals signed between Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Baxter, will enable production of pre-pandemic vaccine to begin as soon as possible.
The agreements could provide enough vaccine to protect the most vulnerable in our population before a pandemic is likely to arrive, without affecting our supply of seasonal flu vaccine.
There are over 101 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK. Most cases are linked to either previously confirmed cases or are returning travellers.
The pandemic flu alert level from the World Health Organization (WHO) remains at Phase Five. Other recent developments include:
The deals signed between Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Baxter, will enable production of pre-pandemic vaccine to begin as soon as possible.
The agreements could provide enough vaccine to protect the most vulnerable in our population before a pandemic is likely to arrive, without affecting our supply of seasonal flu vaccine.
There are over 101 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK. Most cases are linked to either previously confirmed cases or are returning travellers.
The pandemic flu alert level from the World Health Organization (WHO) remains at Phase Five. Other recent developments include:
Monday, May 11, 2009
I have flu-like symptoms - what should I do?
Stay at home and rest.
Take medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve the symptoms (following the instructions with the medicines). Children under 16 must not be given aspirin or ready-made flu remedies containing aspirin.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you have recently travelled to Mexico or the US or you have been in contact with someone who has confirmed or probable swine flu.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you develop complications such as shortness of breath.
Before you call, check your symptoms with this symptom checker.
Take medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve the symptoms (following the instructions with the medicines). Children under 16 must not be given aspirin or ready-made flu remedies containing aspirin.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you have recently travelled to Mexico or the US or you have been in contact with someone who has confirmed or probable swine flu.
Phone your GP or NHS Direct if you develop complications such as shortness of breath.
Before you call, check your symptoms with this symptom checker.
What You Need to Know
The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the current level of the influenza pandemic alert from phase four to five. Part of a six-phased approach, phase five is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region.
“Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread to every country in the world,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan in a statement on April 29.
International Medical Corps continues to monitor the spread of A/H1N1 infection. No cases have been reported in any areas of IMC’s international operations, but field staff members are prepared in the event that the disease spreads.
“International Medical Corps staff from Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia attended a three-day meeting in Addis, Ethiopia last week to discuss coordination for Pandemic Flu and review what resources are available in each country if there is an outbreak,” says Stephen Tomlin, Vice President of Program Policy and Planning at International Medical Corps.
According to WHO, 21 countries have officially reported a total of 1,124 cases of A/H1N1 infection. The United States has reported 286 confirmed human cases, including one death. Mexico has reported 590 confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Austria (1), Canada (140), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (54), Switzerland (1), and the United Kingdom (18).
“While the A/H1N1 virus has spread very rapidly, we are better prepared to handle an influenza outbreak than ever before because of efforts that had been taken for taken H5N1 since 2006,” says Tomlin.
International Medical Corps staff members have pandemic plans and will coordinate our response if there is a confirmed outbreak in an IMC country of operation. IMC’s community-level approach to programming has provided opportunities for prevention activities - including at the household level - that will stem the spread of most flu like illnesses.
As is the case with any viral flu, International Medical Corps health workers recommend the following:
1. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
2. Wash your hands frequently
3. Don't run down your ability to fight infection
4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
5. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
“Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread to every country in the world,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan in a statement on April 29.
International Medical Corps continues to monitor the spread of A/H1N1 infection. No cases have been reported in any areas of IMC’s international operations, but field staff members are prepared in the event that the disease spreads.
“International Medical Corps staff from Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Ethiopia attended a three-day meeting in Addis, Ethiopia last week to discuss coordination for Pandemic Flu and review what resources are available in each country if there is an outbreak,” says Stephen Tomlin, Vice President of Program Policy and Planning at International Medical Corps.
According to WHO, 21 countries have officially reported a total of 1,124 cases of A/H1N1 infection. The United States has reported 286 confirmed human cases, including one death. Mexico has reported 590 confirmed human cases of infection, including 25 deaths.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths – Austria (1), Canada (140), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Costa Rica (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (4), Germany (8), Ireland (1), Israel (4), Italy (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (6), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (1), Spain (54), Switzerland (1), and the United Kingdom (18).
“While the A/H1N1 virus has spread very rapidly, we are better prepared to handle an influenza outbreak than ever before because of efforts that had been taken for taken H5N1 since 2006,” says Tomlin.
International Medical Corps staff members have pandemic plans and will coordinate our response if there is a confirmed outbreak in an IMC country of operation. IMC’s community-level approach to programming has provided opportunities for prevention activities - including at the household level - that will stem the spread of most flu like illnesses.
As is the case with any viral flu, International Medical Corps health workers recommend the following:
1. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze
2. Wash your hands frequently
3. Don't run down your ability to fight infection
4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
5. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Signs and symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in humans the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. The 2009 outbreak has shown an increased percentage of patients reporting diarrhea and vomiting.
Because these symptoms are not specific to swine flu, a differential diagnosis of probable swine flu requires not only symptoms but also a high likelihood of swine flu due to the person's recent history. For example, during the 2009 swine flu outbreak in the United States, CDC advised physicians to "consider swine influenza infection in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute febrile respiratory illness who have either been in contact with persons with confirmed swine flu, or who were in one of the five U.S. states that have reported swine flu cases or in Mexico during the 7 days preceding their illness onset." A diagnosis of confirmed swine flu requires laboratory testing of a respiratory sample (a simple nose and throat swab).
Because these symptoms are not specific to swine flu, a differential diagnosis of probable swine flu requires not only symptoms but also a high likelihood of swine flu due to the person's recent history. For example, during the 2009 swine flu outbreak in the United States, CDC advised physicians to "consider swine influenza infection in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute febrile respiratory illness who have either been in contact with persons with confirmed swine flu, or who were in one of the five U.S. states that have reported swine flu cases or in Mexico during the 7 days preceding their illness onset." A diagnosis of confirmed swine flu requires laboratory testing of a respiratory sample (a simple nose and throat swab).
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Background
The swine flu is likely a descendant of the infamous "Spanish flu"[citation needed]that caused a devastating pandemic in humans in 1918–1919. In less than a year, that pandemic killed more an estimated 50 million people worldwide. Descendants of this virus have persisted in pigs; they probably circulated in humans until the appearance of the Asian flu in 1957, and reemerged in 1977.Direct transmission from pigs to humans is rare, with 12 cases in the U.S. since 2005.
The flu virus is perhaps the trickiest known to medical science; it constantly changes form to elude the protective antibodies that the body has developed in response to previous exposures to influenza or to influenza vaccines. Every two or three years the virus undergoes minor changes. Then, at intervals of roughly a decade, after the bulk of the world's population has developed some level of resistance to these minor changes, it undergoes a major shift that enables it to tear off on yet another pandemic sweep around the world, infecting hundreds of millions of people who suddenly find their antibody defenses outflanked.Even during the Spanish flu pandemic, the initial wave of the disease was relatively mild and the second wave was highly lethal.
In 1957, an Asian flu pandemic infected some 45 million Americans and killed 70,000. Eleven years later, lasting from 1968 to 1969, the Hong Kong flu pandemic afflicted 50 million Americans and caused 33,000 deaths, costing approximately $3.9 billion. In 1976, about 500 soldiers became infected with swine flu over a period of a few weeks. However, by the end of the month investigators found that the virus had "mysteriously disappeared" and there were no more signs of swine flu anywhere on the post. There were isolated cases around the U.S. but those cases were supposedly to individuals who caught the virus from pigs.
Medical researchers worldwide, recognizing that the swine flu virus might again mutate into something as deadly as the Spanish flu, were carefully watching the latest 2009 outbreak of swine flu and making contingency plans for a possible global pandemic.
The flu virus is perhaps the trickiest known to medical science; it constantly changes form to elude the protective antibodies that the body has developed in response to previous exposures to influenza or to influenza vaccines. Every two or three years the virus undergoes minor changes. Then, at intervals of roughly a decade, after the bulk of the world's population has developed some level of resistance to these minor changes, it undergoes a major shift that enables it to tear off on yet another pandemic sweep around the world, infecting hundreds of millions of people who suddenly find their antibody defenses outflanked.Even during the Spanish flu pandemic, the initial wave of the disease was relatively mild and the second wave was highly lethal.
In 1957, an Asian flu pandemic infected some 45 million Americans and killed 70,000. Eleven years later, lasting from 1968 to 1969, the Hong Kong flu pandemic afflicted 50 million Americans and caused 33,000 deaths, costing approximately $3.9 billion. In 1976, about 500 soldiers became infected with swine flu over a period of a few weeks. However, by the end of the month investigators found that the virus had "mysteriously disappeared" and there were no more signs of swine flu anywhere on the post. There were isolated cases around the U.S. but those cases were supposedly to individuals who caught the virus from pigs.
Medical researchers worldwide, recognizing that the swine flu virus might again mutate into something as deadly as the Spanish flu, were carefully watching the latest 2009 outbreak of swine flu and making contingency plans for a possible global pandemic.
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