Smaller rise in swine flu cases

6^th November 2009 - The number of new cases of swine flu in England rose to 84,000 in the past week, an increase of 6,000, or 8%, on the previous week. It’s thought the school half term break could have helped slow what the NHS has called the “second wave” of swine flu cases.

Younger, pre-school children aged one to four, are worst affected this week.

The NHS is considering whether all healthy school children should get flu jabs to protect them and help stop the virus spreading.  In the US, children are already part of the vaccination programme there, and are often give the jabs at school. It has now become a political issue with the Conservatives saying the NHS should extend the vaccinations to school age children and students at college. The current advice from the NHS remains that while children are disproportionately affected by swine flu, the majority make a full recovery, and it does not advise that children, other than those in at-risk groups, should be vaccinated initially.

Critical care cases “snowballing”

In England, 848 people are in hospital with swine flu, including 172 in critical care wards. In interviews from Washington, where he was attending a conference, the chief medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson, said there’s been a “snowballing” of intensive care cases and that’s now his principle concern.

In Scotland the numbers of new cases has fallen, but 135 people have been admitted to hospital with swine flu. In a statement on the Scottish government website, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon says, "There is no trend to the figures, and they can fluctuate, but we must prepare for an almost continual rise in cases throughout winter until the effects of the vaccination programme are evident.”

Dr Roland Salmon, Director of the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, National Public Health Service for Wales, says in a statement online, “The number of people contacting their GP with flu symptoms has stalled. This may be due to the half-term break, similar to the effect seen over this year's summer holidays. It is too early to say whether this changing trend means that the rate of consultations for influenza has peaked.”

GPs waiting for vaccine to be delivered

The swine flu vaccination programme began last month, but not all GP surgeries have received supplies yet. The NHS says “virtually all” surgeries will have received some swine flu vaccine deliveries by the end of next week.

The Department of Health has published new guidelines for the treatment of swine flu in pregnancy. The new guidance contains detailed advice for doctors caring for pregnant women.

Director of Immunisation, Professor David Salisbury has written to GPs saying “There is good and increasing evidence that pregnant women are at higher risk of the serious consequences of swine flu. This evidence suggests that pregnant women are more likely to develop serious complications from swine flu and the World Health Organization has stated that seven to ten percent of all hospitalised patients with swine flu are pregnant women in their second or third trimester. This emphasises the benefits of an effective and comprehensive vaccination programme for this at risk group.”