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| Three suspected swine flu cases | Three suspected swine flu cases |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Three more suspected cases of swine flu have been reported in Worcestershire, according to the Health Protection Agency. | Three more suspected cases of swine flu have been reported in Worcestershire, according to the Health Protection Agency. |
| It follows a confirmed case involving a 41-year-old woman from Redditch who contracted it after visiting Mexico. | |
| The West Midlands Health Protection Agency said this was "a mild case" and the woman was in "very good spirits". | The West Midlands Health Protection Agency said this was "a mild case" and the woman was in "very good spirits". |
| The NHS said in the three further cases the individuals had not caught the virus from this woman. | |
| Raised alert | Raised alert |
| 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. | 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. |
| "So there has been no confirmed transmission of this swine flu virus within the UK so far." | "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 home | People 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." |
| Health advice | |
| 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. |
| Symptons of infection include fever, cough, runny nose, limb or joint pain and headache. | Symptons of infection include fever, cough, runny nose, limb or joint pain and headache. |
| 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. | 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. |
| People have been advised not to go to their GP and not to go to hospital. | People have been advised not to go to their GP and not to go to hospital. |