Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/health/1.422269
Flu pandemic warning
Last updated 19:36, Thursday, 15 January 2009
CUMBRIA is gearing up for a possible flu pandemic, which experts believe is becoming increasingly likely.
An emergency-planning exercise is due to take place at Carlisle Castle on March 24.
Representatives from local authorities, the emergency services, NHS and Environment Agency will simulate their response to a large-scale flu outbreak.
But the likely three-month timescale of a real pandemic will have to be condensed into a single day.
A report from Cumbria County Council?s head of resilience, Mike Smyth, said: ?The likelihood of a flu pandemic increases with each passing year.
?To ensure the county council is ready to respond, focused training and exercising will take place in 2009.
?Once completed, an audit of the council?s preparedness will be undertaken.?
Last year the Government named pandemic flu as the greatest threat facing Britain.
Ministers have decided that exercises in dealing with such an outbreak will be held in each of the nine English regions throughout this year.
Cumbria has been chosen to host the North West?s simulation.
It will be overseen by the gold standard team from the Emergency Planning College at Easingwold, North Yorkshire.
This is an elite response group set up to cope with disasters such as storms, floods, chemical and radioactive releases, and disease outbreaks.
There were three outbreaks of pandemic flu in the last century, of which the 1918-19 ?Spanish flu? was the worst, killing at least 20 million worldwide.
The last outbreak was in 1968-1969.
A pandemic is caused by a new strain of the flu virus, to which humans are not immune.
Flu pandemic warning
Last updated 19:36, Thursday, 15 January 2009
CUMBRIA is gearing up for a possible flu pandemic, which experts believe is becoming increasingly likely.
An emergency-planning exercise is due to take place at Carlisle Castle on March 24.
Representatives from local authorities, the emergency services, NHS and Environment Agency will simulate their response to a large-scale flu outbreak.
But the likely three-month timescale of a real pandemic will have to be condensed into a single day.
A report from Cumbria County Council?s head of resilience, Mike Smyth, said: ?The likelihood of a flu pandemic increases with each passing year.
?To ensure the county council is ready to respond, focused training and exercising will take place in 2009.
?Once completed, an audit of the council?s preparedness will be undertaken.?
Last year the Government named pandemic flu as the greatest threat facing Britain.
Ministers have decided that exercises in dealing with such an outbreak will be held in each of the nine English regions throughout this year.
Cumbria has been chosen to host the North West?s simulation.
It will be overseen by the gold standard team from the Emergency Planning College at Easingwold, North Yorkshire.
This is an elite response group set up to cope with disasters such as storms, floods, chemical and radioactive releases, and disease outbreaks.
There were three outbreaks of pandemic flu in the last century, of which the 1918-19 ?Spanish flu? was the worst, killing at least 20 million worldwide.
The last outbreak was in 1968-1969.
A pandemic is caused by a new strain of the flu virus, to which humans are not immune.