This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/8026345.stm

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Four cases of suspected swine flu Three suspected swine flu cases
(about 2 hours later)
There are four more suspected cases of swine flu in Worcestershire, the Health Protection Agency in the county says. Three more suspected cases of swine flu have been reported in Worcestershire, according to the Health Protection Agency.
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.
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. The West Midlands Health Protection Agency said this was "a mild case" and the woman was in "very good spirits".
No further details have been released about the four suspected cases. The NHS said the further three individuals had not caught the virus from this woman.
Raised alertRaised alert
Five people the woman had been in contact with - including family members - have been given anti-viral drugs. Richard Harling, director of public health for Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, said: "So far all of the confirmed cases across the UK and both the confirmed and suspected cases in Worcestershire are all independently linked to travel to either Mexico or the United States.
Eight people in the UK, including a girl of 12, are known to have the virus, but all are responding well to treatment. "So there has been no confirmed transmission of this swine flu virus within the UK so far."
People with flu symptoms in Redditch have been urged to stay at homePeople with flu symptoms in Redditch have been urged to stay at home
Dr David Kirrage, director of the Health Protection Agency for Worcestershire, said he had spoken to the woman from Redditch on Thursday and she was responding well to treatment.
Five people with whom the woman had been in contact - 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.
Dr Kirrage 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.
"[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."
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. Symptons of infection include fever, cough, runny nose, limb or joint pain and headache.
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. The NHS said anyone who develops symptoms or who has returned from Mexico or the US within the last seven days should stay at home and contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
"(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." People have been advised not to go to their GP and not to go to hospital.
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.
"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."