Pandemic declaration will not change UK’s response
pharmafile | June 12, 2009 | News story | |Â Â NHS, h1n1Â
The Department of Health has insisted there will be no "material change" to the UK's preparations for swine flu.
The announcement follows the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s confirmation that the A(H1N1) virus is now a global pandemic.
WHO signalled this with a move yesterday from phase five to phase six, the highest level in its pandemic alert system.
But the Department of Health emphasised that the decision reflects the geographic spread of the disease rather than its severity.
In a statement it said: "The move to phase six does not trigger any material change to our response in the UK.
"Actions taken in the UK are based on the situation here and our preparations are well advanced."
Swine flu has spread from the initial outbreak in Mexico to a number of other countries including Chile, the US and Australia.
Earlier this week the global figures were 27,737 reported cases in 74 countries which had led to 141 deaths.
Most fatalities have been in people aged between 30 and 50 years.
WHO director general Dr Margaret Chan said: "Spread in several countries can no longer be traced to clearly-defined chains of human-to-human transmission. Further spread is considered inevitable."
"The world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic."
As of 11 June, there are 822 confirmed cases of the disease in the UK, most of which have been mild but with a small minority proving to be severe.
Scotland has 311 of the total number of cases, many of which are around Glasgow.
School closures have been successful in stemming the tide of the virus, the Department of Health said.
"We are continuing to work to slow the spread of the disease and to put in place arrangements to ensure that the UK is well-placed to deal with this new infection," it added.
However, Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that there was a need in some areas to introduce "greater flexibility to our approach".
This mean clinical diagnosis of swine flu will now be allowed where there is a high probability due to close contact with confirmed cases, rather than waiting for results from laboratory testing.
The UK currently provides antiviral drugs for sufferers from the disease and those close to them.
But Sturgeon said that in Scotland there will now also be "more targeted use of antivirals in those who do not have the virus".
There is a UK swine flu information line on 0800 1 513 513.
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