Tonight:
5°c
Nine new swine flu cases confirmed
10 May 2009- Rangers FC enters administration
- Inflation plunges to 14-month low
- Solo Kate in Valentine's city visit
- Qatada deportation talks continue
- Perjury file over Lawrence trial
- Care probe hospital suspends staff
- £500,000 seized from canoeist wife
- Whitney funeral at childhood church
- Most hate crimes feature racism
- Bangkok bomber injured in own blast
Eight new cases of swine flu in England and another case in Scotland have been confirmed by health officials.
Three adults and six children are affected - and they bring the total in the UK to 48.
A Department of Health spokeswoman said one adult case is associated with travel to Mexico, and the children are associated with a school that has since been closed.
She said one of the adults is from the East Midlands and the seven further English cases are in London.
A 19-year-old from Greenock in Scotland has also tested positive for the disease after coming into contact with someone who had travelled to Mexico.
He is being treated at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow for a chest infection, although his condition is not serious.
A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "So far all infections in the UK have been mild, and cases have been diagnosed and treated early. This reduces the severity of symptoms and helps to limit the spread. But we must not be complacent - it is right to prepare for the possibility of a global pandemic."
Health Secretary Alan Johnson has announced that a significant step had been made towards producing a vaccine for swine flu.
He has been told that researchers hope mass production could begin in the coming months.
According to Mr Johnson the Government's objective is to produce enough vaccine for future outbreaks, as well as annual seasonal flu. Of the 48 confirmed cases in the UK, 43 are in England and five in Scotland.
Reader views (1)
All very bad news of course yet we still need to be highly vigilant to the Government’s insane 2-week waste collection farce. Since it was instigated the UK rat population has boomed and the species are becoming resistant to poisons and are carrying new plague virus strains.
Politicians seriously could be the death of us!
Pat Regan, author of Dirty Politics
http://dirtypolitics.viviti.com
- Pat Regan, southport, 10/05/2009 21:37
Report abuse
