Gloucestershire health chiefs issue swine flu advice (From Cotswold Journal)

Gloucestershire health chiefs issue swine flu advice

12:57pm Monday 6th July 2009

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GLOUCESTERSHIRE people experiencing flu-like symptoms are being urged to call a telephone hotline to ascertain if they have swine flu.

The National Health Service in Gloucestershire issued this advice after confirming that several county residents have become victims of the worldwide swine flu epidemic.

These cases relate to adults, some of whom have returned from university, plus two school pupils - one at a Lechlade school and another at Cheltenham College.

The patients are in isolation and responding to treatment with the Tamiflu drug.

The schools remain open and are operating as normal.

As with most cases across Britain, Gloucestershire’s patients are experiencing mild symptoms.

Dr Shona Arora, public health director at NHS Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire County Council, said: “There are almost 7,500 cases of swine flu across the UK.

“Gloucestershire is not seeing the number of cases that other areas are but we would expect to see our numbers continue to rise in line with the national trend.

“This does not mean that people in Gloucestershire should be unduly concerned though.

“Staff across the NHS community, and particularly GPs, are working hard to reduce the spread of swine flu.”

NHS Gloucestershire updated its advice following the Secretary of State for Health’s announcement that the United Kingdom’s response to the epidemic had moved into the Treatment Phase.

People are advised to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully by bagging and binning them, maintain good hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and water and to clean hard surfaces frequently.

To help reduce the spread of the virus, people are warned not to seek advice in person.

They are advised to ask a family member, friend or neighbour, who is not displaying symptoms, to collect antivirals.

Anyone experiencing symptoms is urged to visit the online flu checker, at www.nhs.uk, or telephone the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513.

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