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| New cases as flu line goes live | New cases as flu line goes live |
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| A dedicated swine flu advice line for Scotland will go live on Thursday afternoon. | A dedicated swine flu advice line for Scotland will go live on Thursday afternoon. |
| The line will be accessed through NHS 24 and give information about swine flu and what to do if people have concerns. | The line will be accessed through NHS 24 and give information about swine flu and what to do if people have concerns. |
| Callers to the NHS 24 number - 08454 24 24 24 - will be given the option of being put straight through to a dedicated team dealing with swine flu. | Callers to the NHS 24 number - 08454 24 24 24 - will be given the option of being put straight through to a dedicated team dealing with swine flu. |
| The number of suspected swine flu cases in Scotland now stands at 32, the Scottish Government has confirmed. | The number of suspected swine flu cases in Scotland now stands at 32, the Scottish Government has confirmed. |
| Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that following tests 15 further cases had resulted in negative results for the virus. | Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that following tests 15 further cases had resulted in negative results for the virus. |
| The setting up of a line in Scotland contrasts with the situation south of the border where the Conservatives have hit out because a national pandemic flu helpline set out in UK government plans is not expected to be operational before the autumn. | The setting up of a line in Scotland contrasts with the situation south of the border where the Conservatives have hit out because a national pandemic flu helpline set out in UK government plans is not expected to be operational before the autumn. |
| However, a number will offer recorded information about the virus. | However, a number will offer recorded information about the virus. |
| Scotland has been preparing for a pandemic for some years now and the necessary surveillance and monitoring was activated when the first concerns were raised Dr Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer Scots firm to test vaccine Timeline of swine flu in Scotland | Scotland has been preparing for a pandemic for some years now and the necessary surveillance and monitoring was activated when the first concerns were raised Dr Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer Scots firm to test vaccine Timeline of swine flu in Scotland |
| Nicola Sturgeon said: "It's vital that members of the public can readily access reliable and trustworthy information about swine flu. | Nicola Sturgeon said: "It's vital that members of the public can readily access reliable and trustworthy information about swine flu. |
| "Knowledge is power. Keeping everyone informed will help people to take appropriate steps to protect themselves as well as reassuring them about the level of risk." | "Knowledge is power. Keeping everyone informed will help people to take appropriate steps to protect themselves as well as reassuring them about the level of risk." |
| Scotland's Public Health Minister Shona Robison will be meeting other health ministers in Luxembourg to discuss the threat. | Scotland's Public Health Minister Shona Robison will be meeting other health ministers in Luxembourg to discuss the threat. |
| The UN's World Health Organization has raised the alert over swine flu to level five, meaning a pandemic is considered "imminent". | The UN's World Health Organization has raised the alert over swine flu to level five, meaning a pandemic is considered "imminent". |
| Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Harry Burns said it was a signal to all countries to complete their preparations for surveillance and treatment of those showing symptoms of the disease. | Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Harry Burns said it was a signal to all countries to complete their preparations for surveillance and treatment of those showing symptoms of the disease. |
| "Scotland has been preparing for a pandemic for some years now and the necessary surveillance and monitoring was activated when the first concerns were raised about the situation in Mexico," he said. | "Scotland has been preparing for a pandemic for some years now and the necessary surveillance and monitoring was activated when the first concerns were raised about the situation in Mexico," he said. |
| "Phase five therefore intensifies activities under way in Scotland, which have already been recognised by the WHO as being effective and comprehensive." | "Phase five therefore intensifies activities under way in Scotland, which have already been recognised by the WHO as being effective and comprehensive." |
| Further test results were expected on Thursday for some of the 32 suspected swine flu cases now identified in Scotland. | Further test results were expected on Thursday for some of the 32 suspected swine flu cases now identified in Scotland. |
| They are in the Forth Valley, Grampian, Lothian, Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran and Highland health board areas. | They are in the Forth Valley, Grampian, Lothian, Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran and Highland health board areas. |
| All the cases have travel links with Mexico - where the virus has been linked to about 160 deaths - or other affected countries. | All the cases have travel links with Mexico - where the virus has been linked to about 160 deaths - or other affected countries. |
| Leading bacteriologist Professor Hugh Pennington said the results from Scotland would help answer how transmissible the virus was from person to person. | Leading bacteriologist Professor Hugh Pennington said the results from Scotland would help answer how transmissible the virus was from person to person. |
| Iain and Dawn Askham, from Polmont, near Falkirk, became the UK's first confirmed cases of swine flu, after returning from their honeymoon in Mexico. | Iain and Dawn Askham, from Polmont, near Falkirk, became the UK's first confirmed cases of swine flu, after returning from their honeymoon in Mexico. |
| The couple are recovering at Monklands hospital in Lanarkshire. | The couple are recovering at Monklands hospital in Lanarkshire. |
| On Wednesday Prime Minister Gordon Brown revealed that three new cases had been confirmed in England - two adults, in London and Birmingham, and a girl in Devon. | On Wednesday Prime Minister Gordon Brown revealed that three new cases had been confirmed in England - two adults, in London and Birmingham, and a girl in Devon. |
| He said they had mild symptoms and were responding well to treatment. | He said they had mild symptoms and were responding well to treatment. |
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| Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon's statement to MSPs | Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon's statement to MSPs |
| Scotland currently has a large enough stockpile of antiviral drugs to treat half the population if necessary. | Scotland currently has a large enough stockpile of antiviral drugs to treat half the population if necessary. |
| In the next few days, leaflets with information about swine flu will be sent to every household in the UK. | In the next few days, leaflets with information about swine flu will be sent to every household in the UK. |
| Organisations have been warned to make their own preparations for a possible pandemic. | Organisations have been warned to make their own preparations for a possible pandemic. |
| The UK Health Secretary Alan Johnson has said that a print, TV and radio advertising campaign would be launched on Thursday which would "warn the public about swine flu and remind people to cover their noses and mouths with tissues and then throw the tissue away". | The UK Health Secretary Alan Johnson has said that a print, TV and radio advertising campaign would be launched on Thursday which would "warn the public about swine flu and remind people to cover their noses and mouths with tissues and then throw the tissue away". |
| "The threat we face is serious but we have never been as prepared for a pandemic as we are now," he told MPs. | "The threat we face is serious but we have never been as prepared for a pandemic as we are now," he told MPs. |
| He also ruled out any need for slaughtering pigs in order to combat the spread of disease. | He also ruled out any need for slaughtering pigs in order to combat the spread of disease. |