Scotland: 2 Being monitored for Swine Flu

[Legadillo]

Two people have been admitted to a Scottish hospital as a precaution after returning on Tuesday from Mexico.
Eighty-one people in that country have died from swine flu.

Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said there was no risk to public health.

Ms Sturgeon said: "There are no confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK or elsewhere in Europe; however some travellers who had returned from Mexico are undergoing assessment.


“This includes two people who have been admitted to a Scottish hospital for precautionary assessment, who returned from Mexico on April 21 but had not travelled in any areas affected by the outbreaks. “Precautionary tests are being conducted on these people and results of these further tests are expected later this weekend, or early next week.

“The patients have displayed mild flu-like symptoms and their current condition is not causing concern.

“Monitoring of those who have been in close contact with the two people is also being carried out as an additional precaution.

"There is no immediate threat to public health in Scotland. The WHO Influenza Pandemic alert phase remains unchanged at three.

"As a sensible, precautionary measure the Scottish Government resilience room has been opened and is working closely with London to monitor the situation.”

The World Health Organisation describes swine flu as “a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza A viruses.

“Although swine influenza viruses are normally species specific and only infect pigs, they do sometimes cross the species barrier to cause disease in humans.”

The virus has already caused a reported 81 deaths in Mexico. New York City authorities have also confirmed cases of the illness amongst students at a high school in the city.

http://news.stv.tv/home/90779-two-people-in-scots-hospital-amid-swine-flu-concerns/

[Legadillo]

Re: Scotland: 2 Being monitored for Swine Flu

Swine flu: two admitted to hospital in Scotland as world braces for more cases


Two people have been admitted to hospital in Scotland amid fears they may have contracted a deadly form of swine flu after returning from Mexico where the disease has claimed at least 81 lives.

By Caroline Gammell, Sarah Knapton, Philip Sherwell and Ioan Grillo in Mexico City
Last Updated: 6:00PM BST 26 Apr 2009

Their admission has reignited fears that swine flu may have arrived in the UK although there have been no confirmed reports of the virus infecting anyone in Britain.

British officials remain on high alert as scores of travellers return from the centre of the outbreak as the United States government declared a public health emergency.

The vast majority of suspected cases of H1N1 have been found in people who have recently returned to their home countries.

Ten "highly likely" cases have been reported in Auckland and swabs have been sent urgently to a World Health Organisation (WHO) laboratory in Melbourne, Australia.

There have been more than 20 cases in the United States, with officials confirming that a further eight students returning from a trip had contracted the virus.

So far all of them have been described as "mild".

A 26-year-old Israeli man was hospitalised after returning from a trip to Mexico on suspicion of contacting swine flu.

Passengers arriving back to Heathrow from Mexico, some of whom wore flu face masks, were subjected to inspections from health officials.

It comes after the WHO said the flu virus could mutate and become even more deadly.

"Yes, it's quite possible for this virus to evolve," said Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general for health, security and the environment.

"When viruses evolve, clearly they can become more dangerous to people."

Scottish Deputy First Minister and Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon played down the risks to public health.

She said the pair had been admitted to hospital only as a precaution after arriving back from Mexico last week.

Mrs Sturgeon confirmed they had not been in an area affected by recent outbreak.

"The patients have displayed mild flu-like symptoms and their current condition is not causing concern," she added.

A Health Protection Agency (HPA) spokesman said: "The HPA and the NHS have systems in place which will alert public health authorities of any unusual strain circulating in the UK."

A member of a British Airways cabin crew was taken to hospital with "flu-like symptoms" on Saturday after falling ill on a flight from Mexico City to Heathrow.

The man, who has not been named, has been taken to Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, north-west London.

But a spokesman for Northwick Park Hospital said the cabin crew member did not have swine flu.

See remainder of article at link below:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5225729/Swine-flu-two-admitted-to-hospital-in-Scotland-as-world-braces-for-more-cases.html

[Legadillo]

Re: Scotland: 2 Being monitored for Swine Flu

UPDATE:
Scotland on swine flu alert: two in hospital

Monklands Hospital
Date: 27 April 2009

By Lyndsay Moss and Hamish Macdonell
TWO Scots were in isolation in hospital undergoing tests for swine flu last night as the global health scare spread to the UK.

The Scottish Government said the couple, believed to be from the Forth Valley area, fell ill shortly after returning from a holiday in Mexico last Tuesday and were immediately taken to Monklands Hospital in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, for tests.

About 20 friends and family members who came in contact with the patients after their return to Scotland are also being monitored. They will also be taken into the isolation unit if they show any flu-like symptoms.

Elsewhere in the UK a businessman and his family have been told to stay away from other people after he returned from Mexico with flu-like symptoms, it emerged last night.

Chris Clarke, of Stanwick, Northamptonshire, felt unwell on Saturday.

He said his family have been given medicine and told to stay away from other people as a precaution.

Analysis: Some protection is in place ? but impact of this virus is impossible to predict

The news comes as the number of deaths thought to be linked to the virus in Mexico, the suspected source of the outbreak, rose to as many as 81. In the United States 20 cases of swine flu had been confirmed by last night, including a group of children from a New York school. A further six cases have been confirmed in Canada with others suspected in New Zealand, Spain, France and Israel.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed at the weekend that the strain had "pandemic potential" and was of international concern.

Dr Anne Schuchat, of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that it might be several months before a suitable vaccine could be developed. She said tests so far showed that the H1N1 component of the seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against the new H1N1 swine flu strain.

Tests conducted on the Scottish couple, which will reveal whether or not they contracted the strain of swine flu causing panic in Mexico, were expected to be completed this morning.
This colorized image from a transmission electron micrograph (TEM) depicts the A H1N1 "swine flu" virus from a previous outbreak in 1976
Ministers and senior medical officers urged caution last night and stressed that the two individuals in hospital were not very ill and had not been to any of the affected areas in Mexico.

Nevertheless, First Minister Alex Salmond convened an emergency meeting of senior ministers and health secretary Nicola Sturgeon held talks with her UK counterpart, Alan Johnson, to make sure every possible precaution was being taken to prevent the disease taking hold.

More than 2.5 million doses of anti-viral drugs have already been stockpiled by the Scottish Government, enough to treat half the population.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The Scottish Government, in conjunction with other administrations in the UK, is closely monitoring the situation and assessing the implications, if any, of this situation for Scotland."

Read more at: http://news.scotsman.com/health/Scot...ert.5207162.jp