Swine Flu Daily Update Issued At: 11am Thursday 9 July 2009, Wales

Main Category: Swine Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Public Health;  Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 10 Jul 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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-- The NPHS influenza surveillance scheme, which records reports of diagnoses of flu from more than 300 GP practices across Wales, shows low levels of influenza activity in all parts of Wales. Further detail can be found on the NPHS website: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgid=457&pid=38241

-- The report from 7 July estimates there were 9.3 cases of influenza diagnosed by GPs out of every 100,000 people in Wales - this is the equivalent of 279 people in Wales contacting their GPs in the last seven days with flu like symptoms. Not all of these people will have swine flu and not everyone with flu like symptoms will contact their GP. It is expected that the proportion of influenza cases diagnosed that are due to swine flu will increase as the virus spreads in Wales.

-- GPs are no longer being asked to swab people they suspect may have swine flu. Microbiology laboratories will therefore no longer be testing most people suspected of having swine flu.

-- There have been 60 laboratory confirmed cases in Wales, with 0 new cases.

-- A total of four people with swine flu have been hospitalised in Wales, three of whom have been discharged.

-- No further details will be confirmed or denied about cases in order to protect their right to confidentiality.

-- There are now 7,644 laboratory confirmed cases in the UK - 60 cases in Wales, 1,377 cases in Scotland, 6,162 cases in England and 45 in Northern Ireland.

-- Seven people in the UK with swine flu have died. All had underlying health conditions. -- Swine flu cases have been confirmed in 135 countries. For the latest international figures for the spread of swine flu, visit the website of the World Health Organization at http://www.who.int Comment from Welsh Assembly Government and National Public Health Service for Wales

-- Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, said:

"We are seeing an increase in the number of cases in Wales as we would expect given the community spread in other parts of the UK. This spread is now more marked in London and South East England. We do not have established community spread in Wales yet.

"If people develop flu like symptoms they should stay at home and check them using the various sources of information supplied - by leaflet, 24-hour telephone information lines or websites. For most people this illness is mild and gets better within 5-7 days. Anybody with severe symptoms needs to contact the GP or NHS Direct services.

"If in a high risk group such as those with heart and lung disease, children under 5 years old or pregnant women, you need to contact the GP services. Antiviral treatment is more effective if given within 48 hours. People with 'underlying conditions' are at risk of having a severe illness and the seven people who have died in the UK have been in at risk groups.

"Everybody needs to remember that this is an infectious disease so please observe good respiratory and hand hygiene, catch it, bin it, kill it."

-- Dr Roland Salmon, Director of the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, National Public Health Service for Wales, said:

"Because this particular type of swine flu is new, people have little or no immunity to it. For this reason, we know it will spread across the country eventually.

"Until last week, we have been investigating and responding to individual cases. This has allowed us to learn about the virus, how it spreads and how it affects people. We have learnt that, in the majority of cases it is mild although proving severe for a small minority. Most people recover from infection without the need for hospitalisation or medical care.

"As the disease becomes more widespread in the UK we are changing our approach to focus on treatment, emphasising those people most at risk - people more likely to develop serious illness or complications. These are, particularly, the groups that we encourage to get vaccinated each winter, because they are at risk from seasonal influenza, together with pregnant women and children under 5.

"We advise people to practise good respiratory and hand hygiene to reduce the chance of catching or spreading the virus. If people think they may have flu and want to check their symptoms they can call the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513. If they are still concerned they should contact NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647. "People should not go to Accident and Emergency Departments or to their GP surgery as this may risk spreading the infection. It also places undue pressure on the emergency services."

Public health advice and messages

• If you have flu-like symptoms stay at home. You can check your symptoms by calling the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513. If you are still concerned contact NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647. Do not go into your GP surgery or Accident and Emergency department unless you are advised to do so or are seriously ill, as you may spread the illness to others.

-- It is always good practice to follow respiratory and hand hygiene such as:

- Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible.
- Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
- Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.
- Cleaning hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
- Helping your children follow this advice.

Facemasks

-- Although we are aware that facemasks were being given out to the public in Mexico, the available scientific evidence does not support the general wearing of facemasks by those who are not ill whilst going about their normal activities. We are, however, reviewing NHS supplies and stockpiles of facemasks for healthcare workers who are likely to come into regular contact with people who may have symptoms. The UK will receive an additional 227 million surgical facemasks and 34 million respirators. Wales will receive its proportionate share.

Control measures

-- Agreements have been signed between the UK Government and vaccine manufacturers to secure enough vaccine for the whole population. The first batches are expected in August with around 60 million doses by the end of the year "enough for 30 million people to be vaccinated" with more following after that.

-- The Welsh Assembly Government's Health Emergency Preparedness Unit has issued guidance to Local Health Boards on anti-viral distribution. The unit is co-ordinating work on identifying appropriate collection points and the necessary arrangements to support this process.

Features of the outbreak

-- Based on assessment of all available information and following several expert consultations, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the level of influenza pandemic alert at phase six on 11 June 2009.

-- Phase six indicates there is human-to-human spread of the virus in at least two countries in one World Health Organization region, with community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region.

-- On 2 July the four UK nations agreed to move to the treatment phase in their response to the pandemic - treating people most at risk. Contact tracing and the use of antivirals preventively have been ended. GPs will now provide clinical diagnosis of swine flu cases rather than awaiting laboratory test results.

-- Further information on swine flu and Pandemic Flu is available bilingually from http://www.nphs.wales.nhs.uk

-- Further information from the Welsh Assembly Government response is available bilingually at http://www.wales.gov.uk

Source
Welsh Assembly Government