Swine flu
We understand that all the information regarding the risk of the swine flu pandemic can be quite overwhelming, so here at the Travellers Club we thought a short, concise article on the latest updates might help set your mind at ease.
The chief medical officer has revealed, in his latest pandemic flu update, that the weekly number of swine flu cases in the UK is continuing to fall with an estimated 5,000 new infections in the week commencing the 23rd of August as opposed to 11,000 in the week previous.
As of the 28th of August there has now been 65 deaths in the UK, 57 in England, 6 in Scotland, 1 in Wales and 1 in Northern Ireland. There are currently 218 people hospitalised with swine flu in England. There have been a total of 2,500 deaths worldwide and for the last week in August the number of cases reported globally increased by 8% and the number of deaths by 21%.
The majority of the cases in England are still mild with no sign the virus is changing, it has not become more severe or developed a resistance to anti-virals. However, a 2nd wave of infections is still expected in the UK later in the year when the weather turns much cooler.
Governments around the world are doing their best to contain the spread of this new swine flu virus. Stocks of anti-viral medicines are being readied and travellers are being screened at some airports for symptoms. In the UK, the government has begun distributing a leaflet on swine flu, produced by the Department of Health, to all households.
It will include:
- Information about swine flu and how it can spread
- Reassurance on the how the government are prepared
- How to protect yourself and others
- What to do if you think you have symptoms
- How to keep up to date with the latest information
Symptoms to look out for
(similar to those of standard seasonal flu) fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue.
Medical staff have been advised to look out for seasonally unusual flu or pneumonia –like symptoms especially amongst young healthy adults.
There is currently no vaccine for the strain but severe cases can be treated with antiviral medication and luckily enough years of preparing for bird flu has boosted the world’s stock of antiviral medication. US authorities claim that 2 drugs commonly used to treat flu, Tamiflu and Ralenza have been effective at treating cases so far, but emphasise the importance of the drugs being administered in the early stages to be most proficient and therefore reduce the likelihood of infected people passing the virus on.
What affect will this have on the economy?
In these already worrying economic times, the World Bank is lending Mexico more than $200m to deal with the outbreak and shares in airlines have dropped due to the insecurity of what effect the outbreak will have on the economy. But all we can do is remember the situation is still evolving and we won’t know the real impact for a couple of weeks.
What should we do to prevent infection?
- Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell with flu-like symptoms, if caring for someone in this state a mask can be worn to cover the nose and mouth and reduce the risk of infection.
- Maintain good standards of hygiene; cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, dispose of tissues, wash hands frequently with soap and water and clean hard surfaces like door handles frequently.
- Anyone returning from infected areas should monitor their health closely for 7 days, if you develop any flu-like symptoms contact your GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647, describing your symptoms and details of travel.
For further advice visit; World Health Organization or the Health Protection Agency
How will this affect my travel plans?
- The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has now lifted its ban on non-essential travel to Mexico, this revised advice comes after the flu outbreak reached its peak on the 26th of April. Tour operators are due to resume scheduled flights to Mexico from the 24th of May.
- If you do fall ill whilst away your travel insurance should cover medical expenses, be sure to check this before you travel. If you begin to suffer from any of these symptoms call the 24-hour medical emergency service provided by your insurers. Minimum medical protection recommended for Europe is £1m and the US is £2m. However, quality policies usually cover up to £5m automatically.
- If you are planning to travel abroad, check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website for travel advice or call 0845 850 2829.
We will do our best to keep you up to date with all the latest travel and health issues regarding the swine flu situation, see our travel blog for regular updates.