Swine flu now at seven Plymouth schools

Swine flu continues to spread in Plymouth as seven city schools report suspected cases of the virus.

Plymouth City Council announced about 15 pupils, staff and parents have been isolated with symptoms.

A spokeswoman said it is business as usual for the schools, which remain open in line with updated national guidance.

Doctors have said the vast majority of people with swine flu experience mild symptoms and recover within a few days.

The schools which have reported cases are Hyde Park Junior, Victoria Road Primary, Hele's School, Manadon Vale Primary, Devonport High School for Girls, Mount Wise Community Primary School and Stuart Road Primary.

Other schools in the area to have suspected cases include Ivybridge Community College and Kelly College near Tavistock.

The council spokeswoman said: "The message is very much business as usual for schools.

"Schools must report any suspected cases of swine flu to us as soon as they are made aware of them.

"However, they are free to contact us at anytime if they would like general support and advice.

"We have been sign-posting headteachers to the extremely useful and practical information being given by the Devon and Cornwall Team of the Health Protection Agency, NHS Plymouth and Teachernet website.

"However the last day of term is July 22 and then the summer holidays begin."

She said that schools are informing families and carers by letter or by posting information on their websites.

National guidance recommends that preventative antiviral drugs are no longer routinely offered to large groups of school pupils.

The spokeswoman added: "It is very important to stress that these are not confirmed cases. It is likely that some of those who are ill have other respiratory viruses and not swine flu."

People with swine flu symptoms are advised to call the helplines first and only visit their GP surgery if told to do so by a health professional.

This is to avoid contact with high-risk groups such as children under the age of five, pregnant women and those with long-term diseases.

Fourteen people in the UK, none from the Plymouth area, are thought to have died after contracting the virus. All had other health problems.

Swine flu symptoms are very similar to other flu strains and include sudden high fever, extreme tiredness, aching muscles, limb or joint pain, diarrhoea or stomach upset, sore throat, runny nose and loss of appetite.

Local figures of confirmed cases are unavailable, but there are over 9,700 in the UK.

It is not known how many people truly have the virus as many are treating themselves at home rather than contacting their GP.

Call the swine flu information line 08001 513513 for general information or visit www.nhs.uk where there is a symptom checker.

People should only call NHS Direct 0845 4647 or their GP if they still have concerns.

· There are also reports of swine flu on a foreign ship docked at Devonport.

A Portuguese navy frigate with a crew of close to 200 is said to be under quarantine in Plymouth after a case of swine flu was confirmed aboard ship.

The decision to quarantine the Botolomeu Dias was taken by the Portuguese authorities.

Those aboard are being treated with anti-virals while the infected crewman is being treated in the sickbay at Devonport dockyard.

14 new swine flu cases take India tally to 183

India Saturday reported 14 new swine flu cases, taking the total number of people infected with the influenza A(H1N1) virus to 183, according to the health ministry. 'About 1,117 people have been tested so far of which 183 are positive for Influenza A(H1N1),' a statement issued here said.

Of the 183 positive cases, 131 have been discharged. Rest of them remain admitted to the identified health facility,' it said.

Out of the 1,117 people, 340 were identified through the airport entry screening.

Health officials said the new laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported from Delhi (4), Ahmedabad (2), Pune (3), Hyderabad (2) and Chennai (3).

In Delhi, the four cases, including three teenagers, are from one family that had come here from Singapore July 8. They tested positive for the flu Saturday.

In Ahmedabad, two people testing positive were part of a group of 40 students who travelled by American Airlines and had reached Delhi July 4. The two returned Ahmedabad July 7.

The officials said the group of 40 students had gone to the US on a yearlong exchange programme through an NGO and had traveled back to India from Chicago

'They stayed in Delhi for three days and then went to their respective states,' the statement said.

These students belong to Maharashtra (9), Gujarat (18), Karnataka (1), Tamil Nadu (7) and Delhi (5).

'All of them and their contacts are being traced and also their modality of inland travel ascertained,' it said.

In Chennai, a 34-year-old woman and her nine-year-old son and six-year-old daughter tested positive for swine flu. Her husband has also been quarantined, the officials added.

The family travelled by Saudi Arabian Airlines from Dammam in Saudi Arabia and reached Chennai July 9.

'They were detected at the airport with low-grade fever and cough and admitted to an identified isolation facility,' the official said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 94,512 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection have been reported from 135 countries till July 6. There have been 429 deaths globally, most of them in Mexico and the US.

US Braced for H1N1 Swine Flu Return

The U.S. government has allocated $350 million to help the country prepare for the H1N1 flu virus as well as the seasonal flu. U.S. officials say a vaccine for the H1N1 flu could be available by October before the flu season starts in the northern hemisphere.The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 400 people have died from the H1N1 flu virus out of some 90,000 confirmed cases. In June the WHO declared this outbreak to be the first pandemic in more than 40 years. Recently, WHO Director General Margaret Chan predicted the worldwide spread of H1N1 or the swine flu is certain.

"Once a fully fit pandemic virus emerges, its further international spread is unstoppable," she said.

Currently, countries in the southern hemisphere are beginning their flu season. Chile, Argentina and Australia are seeing large numbers of cases. The U.S. government held a summit July 9 to prepare for the start of the flu season in the northern hemisphere.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said government agencies at every level are preparing a defense against the H1N1 flu as well as the seasonal flu. "We do not know exactly how the virus will present during the fall flu season, but our surveillance efforts have led scientists to believe the impact of the virus could worsen this fall or earlier," she noted.