Swine flu continues to spread

By Alan Irving

Last updated at 18:56, Wednesday, 22 July 2009

SUSPECTED swine flu cases among Sellafield staff have doubled over the last week.

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On the Sellafield Ltd sites as a whole, including Capenhurst and Risley, the number of cases has gone into the twenties but at least 14 are reported at Sellafield.

A few of the Sellafield employees who were among the first to fall ill from the symptoms have now returned to work having made a good recovery from what the site medical team say were almost certainly genuine cases of swine flu. Meanwhile, Sellafield management has advised any pregnant employees that there is no need to stay away from work only to avoid travelling long distances and keeping away from large crowds such as at concerts and festivals.

Besides the normal hygiene precautions Sellafield Ltd management said this week it was stepping up its “cleaning regime” to cover more regularly such areas as hand rails, door rails and lift buttons to try and minimise further the spread of potential infection.

Cumbria NHS has issued new advice: anyone who thinks they may have swine flu can help prevent infection by contacting health services directly from home rather than turn up at GP surgeries as it is possible for people to be diagnosed over the phone.

Patients then diagnosed with swine flu symptoms can be issued with a voucher for antiviral medication but should still nominate a ‘flu friend’ to collect the tablets on their behalf.

Prof John Ashton, county director of public health, said: “If you have swine flu you need to rest and recover at home.

“Swine flu is highly contagious and staying at home is the best option both for the patient and for friends, work colleagues or anyone else you might otherwise mix with,” he said.

Government ministers have been asked by infection experts to close schools in the autumn in order to “break the chain of transmission” and buy time to produce a vaccine thereby cutting the number of cases by up to 45 per cent.