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Source: http://www.birminghampost.net/news/...flu-toll-in-midlands-to-eight-65233-24439154/
Death brings swine flu toll in Midlands to eight
Aug 14 2009 by Rebekah Oruye, Birmingham Post
Another adult has died after testing positive for swine flu this week, bringing the number of deaths in the West Midlands to eight.
Figures released yesterday showed a further 83 people were admitted to regional hospitals in the last seven days.
Nationwide, the number of confirmed deaths linked to the virus is now 44 ? up eight in the last week.
NHS bosses reported that new cases of swine flu have dropped since the start of the outbreak and that preparations are under way for a second wave expected in the autumn.
Dr Rashmi Shukla, regional director for public health, said: ?All our surveillance data on the outbreak of swine flu suggests that the number of cases in the West Midlands is falling.
??This doesn?t mean that we can be complacent.
??I would urge the public to remain vigilant to the symptoms of swine flu and to adhere to good respiratory and hand hygiene practice.?
There are currently 67 anti-viral collection points open across the region and to date, more than 40,000 people have collected anti-virals from one of these points.
And the National Flu Pandemic Service, that was recently launched to ensure that people with flu or flu-like symptoms get advice, have assessed more than 86,000 people.
Government officials announced yesterday that pregnant women and those suffering from asthma, diabetes and heart disease will be among the first in the UK to get the swine flu vaccine.
More than 13 million people are in the most vulnerable groups to be vaccinated first and are expected to receive jabs before Christmas.
At the same time as at-risk groups are vaccinated, frontline health and social care workers will get the jab.
But healthy people of any age will not be given the jab in the coming months, due to a shortage in vaccinations.
Across the UK there had been an increase in the proportion of deaths among people who were previously healthy.
Of the eight deaths confirmed in the last week, five were among previously healthy people, new statistics revealed.
Death brings swine flu toll in Midlands to eight
Aug 14 2009 by Rebekah Oruye, Birmingham Post
Another adult has died after testing positive for swine flu this week, bringing the number of deaths in the West Midlands to eight.
Figures released yesterday showed a further 83 people were admitted to regional hospitals in the last seven days.
Nationwide, the number of confirmed deaths linked to the virus is now 44 ? up eight in the last week.
NHS bosses reported that new cases of swine flu have dropped since the start of the outbreak and that preparations are under way for a second wave expected in the autumn.
Dr Rashmi Shukla, regional director for public health, said: ?All our surveillance data on the outbreak of swine flu suggests that the number of cases in the West Midlands is falling.
??This doesn?t mean that we can be complacent.
??I would urge the public to remain vigilant to the symptoms of swine flu and to adhere to good respiratory and hand hygiene practice.?
There are currently 67 anti-viral collection points open across the region and to date, more than 40,000 people have collected anti-virals from one of these points.
And the National Flu Pandemic Service, that was recently launched to ensure that people with flu or flu-like symptoms get advice, have assessed more than 86,000 people.
Government officials announced yesterday that pregnant women and those suffering from asthma, diabetes and heart disease will be among the first in the UK to get the swine flu vaccine.
More than 13 million people are in the most vulnerable groups to be vaccinated first and are expected to receive jabs before Christmas.
At the same time as at-risk groups are vaccinated, frontline health and social care workers will get the jab.
But healthy people of any age will not be given the jab in the coming months, due to a shortage in vaccinations.
Across the UK there had been an increase in the proportion of deaths among people who were previously healthy.
Of the eight deaths confirmed in the last week, five were among previously healthy people, new statistics revealed.