South Gloucestershire has increased the number of swine flu centres, where stocks of antivirals will be handed, out to 28.
In North Somerset stocks of Tamiflu are limited but health managers are confident that there are enough of the drugs to last until another delivery is due to arrive early next week.
People suffering flu-like symptoms are being asked by health experts not to pick up their own tablets, but to nominate a "flu friend" who can go to the swine flu centres on their behalf to minimise the spread of the virus to key health workers such as GPs and pharmacists.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) estimates there were 55,000 new cases of swine flu in England in the last week, including people visiting GPs and those who are looking after themselves at home.
The number of people who have died after contracting the virus had risen to 29 yesterday, and 652 people have been admitted to hospital since the start of the outbreak.
Seasonal flu, which usually lasts for eight to 10 weeks in winter months, kills about 8,000 people a year nationally.
In 1989/90 an influenza epidemic in Great Britain caused an estimated 26,000 deaths, mainly in the elderly.
About 1,000 schools have already recorded cases of swine flu, although most have managed to stay open.
Letters have been sent to the parents at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Portishead, to notify them that a member of staff has been diagnosed with swine flu, but the school told the Bristol Evening Post the affected staff member was not a teacher.
In South Gloucestershire there have been reports of cases in pupils at Mangotsfield Primary School, Stanbridge Primary School in Downend, Tynings Primary School in Soundwell, Elm Park Primary School in Winterbourne and Samuel White's Infant School in Hanham.
But South Gloucestershire School would not confirm any cases or suspected cases when asked to do so by the Evening Post.
0 comments:
Post a Comment