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Four cases of suspected swine flu | Four cases of suspected swine flu |
(about 4 hours later) | |
There are four more suspected cases of swine flu in Worcestershire, the Health Protection Agency in the county says. | There are four more suspected cases of swine flu in Worcestershire, the Health Protection Agency in the county says. |
A 41-year-old woman from Redditch contracted the disease after visiting Mexico, Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed on Wednesday. | A 41-year-old woman from Redditch contracted the disease after visiting Mexico, Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed on Wednesday. |
The West Midlands Health Protection Agency said the confirmed case in Redditch was only "a mild case" and the woman was responding well to treatment. | |
No further details have been released about the four suspected cases. | |
Raised alert | Raised alert |
Five people the woman had been in contact with - including family members - have been given anti-viral drugs. | Five people the woman had been in contact with - including family members - have been given anti-viral drugs. |
Eight people in the UK, including a girl of 12, are known to have the virus, but all are responding well to treatment. | |
People with flu symptoms in Redditch have been urged to stay at home | People with flu symptoms in Redditch have been urged to stay at home |
An advertising campaign promoting good hygiene to help combat the threat of swine flu has been launched in the UK. | An advertising campaign promoting good hygiene to help combat the threat of swine flu has been launched in the UK. |
The Department of Health's Catch it, Bin it, Kill it! adverts urge people to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues, throw them away and wash their hands. | The Department of Health's Catch it, Bin it, Kill it! adverts urge people to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues, throw them away and wash their hands. |
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its alert to level five - one short of a full-blown pandemic. | The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its alert to level five - one short of a full-blown pandemic. |
Dr David Kirrage, director of the Health Protection Agency for Worcestershire, has issued advice to residents in the area. | Dr David Kirrage, director of the Health Protection Agency for Worcestershire, has issued advice to residents in the area. |
He said: "(We should do) things like hand washing, making sure that we use handkerchiefs or tissues and dispose of those tissues if we are sneezing. | He said: "(We should do) things like hand washing, making sure that we use handkerchiefs or tissues and dispose of those tissues if we are sneezing. |
"(Also we should be) cleaning work surfaces, not obsessively, but making sure that particularly (on) those work surfaces which might be used by a large number of people we keep up the normal cleaning regime." | "(Also we should be) cleaning work surfaces, not obsessively, but making sure that particularly (on) those work surfaces which might be used by a large number of people we keep up the normal cleaning regime." |
Dr Richard Harling, director of public health for Worcestershire, has said: "Symptoms of infection include fever, cough, runny nose, limb or joint pain and headache. | Dr Richard Harling, director of public health for Worcestershire, has said: "Symptoms of infection include fever, cough, runny nose, limb or joint pain and headache. |
"People who develop symptoms and who have returned from Mexico or the US within the last seven days should stay at home and contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647. | "People who develop symptoms and who have returned from Mexico or the US within the last seven days should stay at home and contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647. |
"We will then make arrangements to come and assess them and provide treatment if necessary. They are asked not to go to their GP and not to go to hospital." | "We will then make arrangements to come and assess them and provide treatment if necessary. They are asked not to go to their GP and not to go to hospital." |