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Woman in hospital with swine flu Swine flu cases top 13 in Wales
(about 17 hours later)
Three new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Wales, including a 59-year-old woman who has been admitted to hospital. Another case of swine flu has been confirmed in Wales, involving a 20-year-old Swansea woman.
Health officials said the woman, from Caerphilly, became unwell in Spain and had been offered antiviral medicine. She is linked to a confirmed case in Cambridge and close contacts are being traced.
She is not in intensive care and was said to be recovering. It takes the number of confirmed cases to 13 in Wales.
The two other cases were a 19-year-old man from Cardiff and a 24-year-old man from Powys, making a total of 12 confirmed cases in Wales. Meanwhile, three clinically presumed cases involving men, 29 and 67, and a woman, 62, all from Denbighshire and contacts of confirmed cases in Scotland, have been announced.
Dr Roland Salmon, of the National Public Health Service for Wales, said: "Because this type of swine flu is new, people have little or no immunity to it. For this reason, we know it will spread across the country eventually. The National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) has up until now been testing everyone who has potentially come into contact with swine flu and who has symptoms.
"The pandemic will reach different countries at different times. While the outbreak is dying away in Mexico it is still growing here."
The teenager from Cardiff was said to be recovering after being offered antiviral medicine, and his close contacts are being traced.
In the Powys case, health officials said the source of the infection was being investigated. The man affected was also said to be recovering.
HYGIENE ADVICE Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue where possibleDispose of tissues promptly and carefullyWash hands frequently with soap and waterClean hard surfaces such as door handles regularly with a normal cleaning productHelp your children to follow hygiene adviceSource: National Public Health Service for Wales/Welsh Assembly GovernmentHYGIENE ADVICE Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue where possibleDispose of tissues promptly and carefullyWash hands frequently with soap and waterClean hard surfaces such as door handles regularly with a normal cleaning productHelp your children to follow hygiene adviceSource: National Public Health Service for Wales/Welsh Assembly Government
A total of 171 people in Wales have been under investigation for swine flu. It has been ruled out in 139 cases leaving 20 still under investigation. But a spokesman said: "We are moving to the position where swine flu is circulating so freely in the community that we will test very few people as patient's doctors will assume that anyone with flu-like symptoms has contracted swine flu.
There are now 3,600 confirmed cases in the UK: 2,830 in England, 739 in Scotland and 19 in Northern Ireland. "As part of the transition towards this phase, we are now reporting clinically presumed cases. They are household contacts of confirmed cases of swine flu, who have symptoms of swine flu and are presumed to have swine flu but will not be laboratory tested. "
One person with swine flu in the UK, a case in Scotland, has died but the patient had underlying health conditions. 'Vigilant'
Chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, said: "We have warned that we need to expect that, with large numbers of people contracting swine flu, there will be deaths, particularly in patients with underlying health conditions. He said there was enough evidence of swine flu with these patients for doctors to treat them and testing was "unnecessary" to reach a diagnosis.
"Even with the seasonal flu, we do see excess deaths occurring. So far, 175 people have been under investigation in Wales, with 13 confirmed cases, three clinically presumed cases and swine flu ruled out in 141 cases.
"Although it is natural for people to feel apprehensive, I would like to reassure the public that we have been working to prepare for the arrival of the virus for many years and have robust procedures in place." This leaves 18 still under investigation, which the NPHS says all involve people with mild symptoms.
Among the confirmed cases, a 59-year-old woman from Caerphilly, who became unwell in Spain and had been offered antiviral medicine, has been allowed home after hospital treatment.
There are now 4,251 laboratory confirmed cases in the UK - 850 cases in Scotland, 3,364 cases in England and 24 in Northern Ireland.
Chief medical officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, said: "We have made it clear that there would be cases in Wales and that the number of cases would rise. Therefore everyone must continue to be vigilant and try to reduce the spread of the virus."
NHS Direct can be contacted on 0845 46 47.NHS Direct can be contacted on 0845 46 47.