8 Confirmed Swine Flu Cases in UK
It has been confirmed by officials in Britain that there have been 3 more swine flu cases found, which brings the total in the nation to 8. Two of the new cases were found in London, while the other was found in Newcastle.
Officials at the Health Protection Agency in Britain say that the three people only have mild symptoms, and they are responding to treatments at home. In a statement, the agency said that all 8 of the British cases involve those who had traveled to Mexico recently. They said that there are 230 other cases that they are investigating right now.
Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, said that he is concerned about the outbreak of the swine flu, but not alarmed. He said that he feels they can reassure the public that there is a plan in place, and they will do all that they can to ease the impact. They aren’t able to make the issue go away, he continued, and many people will get sick. However, they hope that they can deal with the issue in an organized and orderly manner, he added.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that health checks will be increased at airports in Britain, while antiviral drug stocks will be increased to 50 million doses by the end of next month. This means that there will be enough doses for 5 out of 6 citizens. He said that the government is taking all the necessary steps to prepare and protect the public.
Yesterday, the swine flu spread to the Netherlands and Switzerland as well.