http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/Swine_flu/article6727062.ece
NHS intensive care services could be overwhelmed by a huge rise in swine flu cases, researchers have warned, as Britain?s port authorities started screening incoming passengers for the first time.
Demand for critical care beds could outstrip the numbers available by 130 per cent, especially in units designed to treat children, according to a study in the journal Anaesthesia.
The warning came as 160 British citizens were held in quarantine in China, Singapore, India and Egypt because of swine flu fears. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that there were likely to be others being held over suspicions that they had the H1N1 virus.
It also emerged that:
? health workers and immigration officials at Heathrow and other port authorities have been told to look out for passengers with possible signs of swine flu infection;
? Sharon Pentleton, a 26-year-old pregnant woman from Scotland, was ?gravely ill? after suffering a rare and severe infection. She was flown to Sweden for emergency treatment;
? Sainsbury?s opted out of distributing antiviral medication as part of the national service over fears that it might encourage swine flu victims into its stores.
A ?2.4 million advertising campaign will begin today to advertise the National Pandemic Flu Service, the swine flu hotline and diagnostic website. It cost ?2.5 million to set up.
The number of flu infections doubled in Britain last week as an estimated 100,000 people became infected.
The intensive care study found that hospitals on the South East coast, in the South West, East of England and East Midlands are likely to become ?quickly exhausted? if cases continue rising in winter as is predicted.
The World Health Organisation said that 160 countries were now affected by swine flu. It predicted that there could be two billion cases globally during the pandemic.
NHS intensive care services could be overwhelmed by a huge rise in swine flu cases, researchers have warned, as Britain?s port authorities started screening incoming passengers for the first time.
Demand for critical care beds could outstrip the numbers available by 130 per cent, especially in units designed to treat children, according to a study in the journal Anaesthesia.
The warning came as 160 British citizens were held in quarantine in China, Singapore, India and Egypt because of swine flu fears. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that there were likely to be others being held over suspicions that they had the H1N1 virus.
It also emerged that:
? health workers and immigration officials at Heathrow and other port authorities have been told to look out for passengers with possible signs of swine flu infection;
? Sharon Pentleton, a 26-year-old pregnant woman from Scotland, was ?gravely ill? after suffering a rare and severe infection. She was flown to Sweden for emergency treatment;
? Sainsbury?s opted out of distributing antiviral medication as part of the national service over fears that it might encourage swine flu victims into its stores.
A ?2.4 million advertising campaign will begin today to advertise the National Pandemic Flu Service, the swine flu hotline and diagnostic website. It cost ?2.5 million to set up.
The number of flu infections doubled in Britain last week as an estimated 100,000 people became infected.
The intensive care study found that hospitals on the South East coast, in the South West, East of England and East Midlands are likely to become ?quickly exhausted? if cases continue rising in winter as is predicted.
The World Health Organisation said that 160 countries were now affected by swine flu. It predicted that there could be two billion cases globally during the pandemic.
