archive

Editorial: Preparing for the next flu pandemic (Jul 21, 2009 11:18 AM)

New clinical guidelines focus on coordinating services and standardising care

Editorial: UK preparedness for pandemic influenza (Jul 21, 2009 11:19 AM)

Devolving responsibility for implementation to local authorities may not be the best policy

Research: Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (Jul 21, 2009 11:21 AM)

To systematically review evidence for the effectiveness of physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses.

Article: Ten things your emergency department should consider to prepare for pandemic influenza (Jul 21, 2009 10:46 AM)

Original article from the Emergency Medicine Journal

Patient information: Swine flu - what should you do? (Jul 21, 2009 10:49 AM)

Patient information from BMJ Best treatments, published in the Guardian

BMJ.com blog: Jane Parry on Flu (Jul 22, 2009 02:54 PM)

Hong Kongers have lived through more than their fair share of bird flu scares across the border in China over the last few years, and, of course, Sars in 2003 when 299 people in the city died of the disease. Then there was the cull of Hong Kong’s entire poultry population back in 1997. It’s not surprising, then that 7 million residents of this crowded city are a little twitchy about pandemic flu threats.

Blog post: case reports on pandemic flu (Jul 21, 2009 11:22 AM)

It is great to see that the whole world is discussing case reports! Led by the World Health Organisation we are constantly being kept up to date with a growing case series of swine influenza.

News: Swine flu could come back in more virulent form after summer (Jul 21, 2009 10:54 AM)

The number of deaths in Mexico from swine influenza may be only "the tip of the iceberg" and, after a mild summer, the virus could return in a more virulent form, experts at the Stockholm based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said this week.

News: Health department starts to stockpile masks for clinicians to combat swine flu (Jul 21, 2009 10:56 AM)

The Department of Health is planning to stockpile huge numbers of extra facemasks for clinicians to use in preparation for a possible pandemic of swine influenza.

BMJ.com blog: Adrian Gonzalez on swine flu in Mexico (Jul 21, 2009 10:58 AM)

In 2003 I was at the BMJ’s offices in Tavistock Square, London, when China’s SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic was at its peak. At that time the risk of infection seemed far away. Today is different; I’m living and working in Tlalpan, the district of Mexico City that holds the largest concentration of hospitals and healthcare professionals.

BMJ.com blog: BM Hedge on Flu (Jul 21, 2009 10:59 AM)

I was working in Ipswich in a cardiothoracic centre during the 1968-69 ‘Flu epidemic. During the Xmas week end of 1968 I had to be on call from Friday through Monday morning as most of my colleagues were on leave. I had to certify more than 50 deaths, mostly in the geriatric age group. Elderly patients with cardiac and respiratory co-morbidities used to come down with ‘Flu and die within hours of admission.

Editorial: Swine Flu (Jul 21, 2009 11:09 AM)

Fragile health systems will make surveillance and mitigation a challenge

News: WHO raises flu pandemic alert to level 5 (Jul 21, 2009 11:09 AM)

The World Health Organization has raised its flu pandemic alert level to five, the second highest level, saying it thinks that a global outbreak of swine influenza is imminent.

Patient information: Wash your hands to protect against flu (Jul 21, 2009 11:23 AM)

Patient information from BMJ Best treatments, published in the Guardian

Podcast: Financial incentives and potential pandemic (Jul 21, 2009 11:30 AM)

This week Helen Morant talks to Richard Coker from the London School of Hygiene and Tom Jefferson from the Cochrane Vaccines Field about pandemic flu. Geoff Watts talks to Theresa Marteau from the Institute of Psychiatry about the Wellcome Trust’s new Centre for the Study of Incentives in Health. And Annabel Ferriman takes us though this week’s news.

News: Confirmation of first person to person transmission of swine flu in UK expected soon (Jul 21, 2009 11:49 AM)

The first human to human transmission of swine influenza in the United Kingdom is expected to be confirmed today, as the number of confirmed cases has risen to eight.

News:EU commissioner says pandemic likely, but may not be deadly (Jul 21, 2009 11:52 AM)

European Union governments will increase cooperation among themselves in the fight against the novel flu virus but have not committed themselves to sharing their stockpiles of vaccines and antiflu drugs.

News: US Congress holds hearings on outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) (Jul 21, 2009 11:56 AM)

Questions on the threat posed by the outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) remained unanswered after three days of congressional hearings in Washington, DC. But the meetings dampened down media frenzy through the constant repetition of the limited facts that were known.

BMJ Learning audio module: Swine influenza: an update (Jul 21, 2009 11:59 AM)

Module type: Read, reflect, respond Read and reflect on current issues; see what others think; and have your say.

BestPractice monograph: Swine influenza (Jul 21, 2009 12:03 PM)

Swine influenza is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza viruses. The H1N1 subtype of influenza A virus is the most common, but other subtypes do circulate in pigs (e.g., H1N2, H3N1, H3N2). The 2009 outbreak is caused by a strain of the H1N1 subtype. Swine influenza has not normally infected humans, but the 2009 strain is transmitted through humans.

feed (Jul 21, 2009 01:15 PM)

Pandemic flu feed

doc2doc blog: Carlos Cuello’s updates from Mexico (Jul 21, 2009 12:09 PM)

 

Personal View: The flu epidemic in Mexico: the challenges for doctors (Jul 21, 2009 12:12 PM)

The statistics usually reported in epidemics are morbidity and mortality, together with the economic costs. However, the consequences of epidemics are much wider, affecting the very roots of society and modifying doctors’ practice.

Swine flu - HPA special (Jul 21, 2009 01:30 PM)

Helen Morant asks Anthony Kessel, director of public health strategy at the Health Protection Agency, about the role of the HPA in managing pandemic influenza.

Mass information campaign starts in UK as flu cases rise to 28 (Jul 21, 2009 01:34 PM)

A mass public information campaign starts in the United Kingdom this week as leaflets on how to stop the spread of swine flu begin to arrive in every home.

European flu toll reaches 107 confirmed cases (Jul 21, 2009 01:37 PM)

By the morning of Tuesday 5 May, when the BMJ went to press, 107 confirmed and 10 probable cases of A/H1N1 flu had been reported in the European Union, said the Stockholm based European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Influenza pandemics: why, what, and how to prepare (Jul 21, 2009 01:42 PM)

Module type: Just in time Want a fast, evidence based update? Here are the essentials on everyday conditions.

Joe Collier on manoeuvres for avoiding Mexican flu (Jul 24, 2009 12:54 PM)

Mexican (swine) flu is clearly a threat. It is difficult to know exactly how best to avoid being infected, and although the risks for a Londoner are remote here are some changes I now make in my day-to-day life in an attempt to stave contagion off.

Mairi Scott and Tom Love on pandemic flu training for retired health care professionals (Jul 21, 2009 01:48 PM)

Pressures on the workforce are going to be one of the big challenges for the NHS in a pandemic. One strategy which might help with this problem is to draw upon retired health professionals, who could fulfil a number of possible roles.

Global aid agencies boost support to poorer nations to fight flu threat (Jul 21, 2009 01:53 PM)

International agencies, spearheaded by the World Health Organization, are scaling up their support to low and middle income nations, including Mexico, to help them respond to the possible threat of an A/H1N1 flu pandemic.

About the BMJ Pandemic Flu blog (Jul 21, 2009 01:55 PM)

The BMJ Group is publishing a lot of about Pandemic flu - not just news items, but blogs, podcasts, learning modules, Best Practice monographs and features. We are going to post on this blog when each new item is published. Keep checking back for the latest news, as the situation changes.

A/H1N1 influenza: questions and answers (Jul 21, 2009 01:57 PM)

The pandemic alert level has been raised to phase 5—just one level short of a full pandemic—by the World Health Organization. As influenza A/H1N1 spreads quickly from its origins in Mexico, Rebecca Coombes assesses the threat and our levels of protection

Warning against buying flu drugs online (Jul 21, 2009 02:01 PM)

Drugs being sold as treatments for swine flu by unauthorised internet suppliers could be hazardous to health, the UK drug-safety watchdog has warned. It says there is a risk that drugs not supplied by a registered pharmacy could be substandard or counterfeit.

Chief medical officer warns against complacency over swine flu (Jul 21, 2009 02:04 PM)

The health secretary, Alan Johnson, and the chief medical officer for England, Liam Donaldson, have told the public not to become complacent about A/H1N1 flu and have warned that the hallmarks of a pandemic are still present.

Swine flu, the definitive guide (Jul 21, 2009 02:06 PM)

Confused about swine flu? Worried about how best to protect yourself and your loved ones? Read the definitive guide from the BMJ group.

Mexico City returns to normality, but cases of A/H1N1 reach almost 2000 in US (Jul 21, 2009 02:09 PM)

Mexico City’s 20 million residents emerged last week from a five day economic shutdown that the authorities had ordered to try to contain the A/H1N1 flu epidemic. Offices and restaurants have reopened, and high school and university students have gone back to class.

Pandemic Flu - an update on ethical dilemas (Jul 21, 2009 02:14 PM)

Module type: Read, reflect, respond Read and reflect on current issues; see what others think; and have your say.

Swine flu: Ethical implications (Jul 21, 2009 02:17 PM)

Dr Tony Calland, chair of the BMA medical ethics committee and a recently retired GP, and Dr Andrew Hartle, chair of Imperial College Healthcare NHS trust Clinical Ethics Committee and an anaesthetics consultant at St Marys’s hospital in London, discuss the ethical dilemmas that doctors are likely to face as a pandemic worsens.

Governments must be pulled up for failings over flu (Jul 21, 2009 02:54 PM)

The escalating A/H1N1 flu outbreak has led to cracks in the system of international coordination based on evidence. Governments and the World Health Organisation alike should be held accountable.

Planning for a pandemic - an up to date guide (Sep 03, 2009 03:21 PM)

Module type: Read, reflect, respond Read and reflect on current issues; see what others think; and have your say.

The problem with flu vaccines (Jul 21, 2009 02:59 PM)

With the number of cases of swine flu continuing to rise, Andrew Jack assesses our capability to produce enough vaccine to cope with a pandemic

UK urges more flexibility in criteria for flu pandemic alerts (Jul 21, 2009 03:02 PM)

Greater flexibility and additional information are needed when deciding whether to declare a flu pandemic, a delegation of countries have told the World Health Organization.

Number of confirmed swine flu cases could be “tip of iceberg” (Jul 21, 2009 03:05 PM)

Almost 13 000 people around the world have now been confirmed as having been infected with the A/H1N1 flu virus, but experts in the United States are warning that the actual figures there could be much higher.

Swine flu planning (Jul 21, 2009 03:06 PM)

In this podcast we look at planning for a pandemic (this is particularly applicable for GPs in the UK). Helen Morant talks to Maureen Baker, honorary secretary of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and Kate Adams, a GP in East London, about what’s been done to help the country prepare for a ‘flu outbreak.

Time to rethink the UK’s response to swine flu? (Jul 21, 2009 03:11 PM)

As a general practitioner practising in south London and the mother of a son confirmed with swine flu in early May, I have found that advice about swine flu is inconsistent across the UK.

Countries hit by swine flu reach 62 (Jul 21, 2009 03:13 PM)

Countries hit by swine flu reach 62: The number of countries affected by the A/H1N1 flu virus has risen to 62, according to the World Health Organization. Globally, as the BMJ went to press, there were 17 459 confirmed cases of the virus in 62 countries, including 115 deaths. The UK figure has risen to 278.

UK scientific adviser criticises UK planning for flu pandemic (Jul 21, 2009 03:16 PM)

The government’s chief scientific adviser is not convinced that the United Kingdom has the right plans in place to cope with avian flu.

Monitoring public anxiety about flu, Keith J Petrie and Kate Faasse (Jul 21, 2009 03:18 PM)

Greater monitoring of the web could provide a guide to public anxiety about flu outbreaks and social media could be used more intensively to provide relevant public health information to younger groups.

World Health Organization declares A (H1N1) influenza pandemic (Jul 21, 2009 03:20 PM)

The head of the World Health Organization has declared the first influenza pandemic in 41 years after intense consultations with top officials from countries that are experiencing rapid transmission of the novel A (H1N1) flu virus at the community level, and with international experts monitoring the global outbreak.

Australia plans to restrict antiretrovirals to high risk cases as swine flu spreads (Jul 21, 2009 03:22 PM)

Health authorities in Australia are bracing for a fraught winter, as the novel H1N1 influenza A virus spreads alongside seasonal flu.

Swine flu fear and loathing in Mexico…and London (Jul 21, 2009 03:25 PM)

My flight to Cancun, Mexico, to attend the Conference of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) was scheduled for Sunday, 26th of April. The day before there were several anxious emails about the swine flu outbreak in Mexico City, but a reassuring response from the AED president followed: of course the conference would go ahead.

Swine influenza: an update on recent developments (Jul 21, 2009 03:27 PM)

Module type: Read, reflect, respond Read and reflect on current issues; see what others think; and have your say.

Swine flu comes home: a GP’s tale (Jul 21, 2009 03:29 PM)

So there we were, early Wednesday afternoon, preparations under way for the evening surgeries, when the phones started to ring off the hook. Almost simultaneously we got an email from the PCT telling us that 143 children from the local primary and infant schools were sick with an as yet unidentified viral illness.

Annabel Ferriman on questions for Margaret Chan (Jul 21, 2009 03:32 PM)

The spread of A/H1N1 flu has propelled Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization, into the limelight. On 11 June she was on television and radio programmes across the world, declaring that “the world is now at the start of the 2009 influenza pandemic” and that “further spread is considered inevitable”

Tom Nolan’s flu blog (Jul 21, 2009 03:34 PM)

The media’s interest in H1N1 may have declined, but the number of cases appears to be on the increase, and not just in the southern hemisphere where we’re told to look to. The World Health Organisation’s latest map of H1N1 cases gives an interesting if simplistic snapshot of the most affected areas globally.

Use of Tamiflu may need to be rethought as number of swine flu cases in the UK nears 3000 (Jul 21, 2009 03:36 PM)

The United Kingdom may need to rethink its strategy on use of the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to treat swine flu, a BMA official has said, as the UK’s number of cases is rising faster than in most of the rest of the world.

Tom Nolan chooses his own swine flu adventure (Jul 21, 2009 03:38 PM)

The pandemic continues to spread throughout all corners of the world, with Serbia and Iraq getting their first cases yesterday. In the UK the West Midlands still lead the way in new cases with 115 confirmed there yesterday.

The spread of swine flu (Jul 24, 2009 12:52 PM)

“We’re saying there have been at least a million cases of this new H1N1 virus in the United States so far this year. “ That’s according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which held a press conference on Friday which shed some more light on the epidemiology and spread of the disease.

Too early to say mild (Jul 24, 2009 12:51 PM)

The number of laboratory confirmed cases of swine flu in England has shot up by nearly fifty percent since last Friday. 1604 new cases were confirmed between 27-29th June, bringing the total number to 4968.

Come swine with me (Jul 24, 2009 12:53 PM)

My plans for a H1N1 themed dinner party “come swine with me” are in tatters after Dr Jarvis, chairman of the British Medical Association’s public health committee, yesterday declared swine flu parties not to be a good idea. Apparently it will threaten to undo all the good work that’s been done to contain the outbreak.

Two more people in UK die from swine flu, as swabbing policy ends in “hot spot” areas (Jul 21, 2009 03:50 PM)

Two more people have died in the United Kingdom after contracting the A/H1N1 virus, while some GPs in so called hot spot areas are now handling the virus in a different way from how they did at the start of the epidemic.

Was H1N1 leaked from a laboratory? (Jul 24, 2009 12:54 PM)

391 cases of H1N1 were confirmed in the UK yesterday bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 6929. In Argentina, the state of Buenos Aires has declared a health emergency, with schools closing for their winter breaks early - the city’s mayor has called for families not to “treat this as extra holidays for the kids” and more of a “time for the children to stay at home as much as possible”. Meanwhile Australia now has 4568 confirmed cases (198 more yesterday) and 9 deaths.

Who wants to be the flu doctor? (Jul 21, 2009 03:55 PM)

In 1841 the William Brown struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. The doomed ship sank with 31 passengers. The remaining passengers scrambled onto lifeboats. In one of the lifeboats, the 41 escapees were so heavy that the first mate feared that the boat would sink. He instructed his eight crewmen to "go to work, or we shall all perish." Sixteen passengers were thrown overboard.

Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak (Jul 21, 2009 03:57 PM)

Objective: To assess whether perceptions of the swine flu outbreak predicted changes in behaviour among members of the public in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Partners in swine (Jul 24, 2009 12:55 PM)

Yesterday I attended the Department of Health briefing on swine flu where the suave new secretary of state for health, Andy Burnham, and his partner in swine, Sir Liam Donaldson, gave an update.

UK government predicts 100 000 new A/H1N1 flu cases a day by September (Jul 21, 2009 04:01 PM)

The UK government is planning for a rapid rise in the number of cases of A/H1N1 flu and is limiting provision of antiviral drugs to people with symptoms, while excluding asymptomatic contacts of infected people. The move comes after the revelation that up to 100 000 new cases of the infection could emerge each day by the end of August.

Swine flu vaccines and swine tig (Jul 24, 2009 12:55 PM)

Vaccination plans for the UK are slowly beginning to emerge. On Thursday Sir Liam Donaldson confirmed that 60 million vaccines are scheduled to be produced by the end of the year with the first batches ready for administration within the next month. The two different vaccines (one made by Baxter, the other by GSK) each come in two doses to be given three weeks apart.

Who should receive Tamiflu for swine flu? (Jul 21, 2009 04:05 PM)

People with severe disease or risk factors, until the population is vaccinated

H1N1, the science bit (Jul 24, 2009 12:56 PM)

Yesterday the number of deaths in the UK rose to seven. So far all of those who have died with H1N1 in the UK have had serious underlying health conditions and little information has been released about whether these people have died with H1N1 or because of it.

Call for flu research under way (Jul 21, 2009 04:11 PM)

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), in coordination with the Medical Research Council and Wellcome, is currently commissioning research studies as part of the national response to the emerging flu pandemic.

… as does policy on antibiotics (Jul 21, 2009 04:15 PM)

The Department of Health recently published a pathway for the hospital management of adults with swine flu.1 2 We have serious reservations about the antibiotic recommendations.

Policy on antiviral drugs needs to be revised … (Jul 21, 2009 04:21 PM)

UK swine flu policy recommends antiviral agents for febrile patients with two or more symptoms of flu-like illness, up to seven days from onset.1 Thus, even with comparatively low rates of flu-like illness, many people are prescribed antiviral agents.

Are swine flu parties an urban myth? (Jul 24, 2009 12:57 PM)

Swine flu parties are the hottest ticket in town. Everyone’s been talking about them yet no-one seems to know anyone who’s been to one. Peter Flegg, a physician in Blackpool, is suspicious.

WHO to call on nations with high rates of swine flu to move away from testing all suspected cases (Jul 21, 2009 04:25 PM)

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday (7 July) that with the A/H1N1 influenza pandemic evolving rapidly, it plans to issue new guidelines for nations with large infection rates, advising them to move away from conducting laboratory testing on all suspected cases and to focus instead on monitoring big trends in the spread of disease.

How do you monitor swine flu? (Jul 24, 2009 12:57 PM)

Yesterday, reporters descended on Whitehall to hear about the methods of influenza monitoring. Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer led the numbers feast alongside Justin McCracken, chief executive of the Health Protection Agency, and Ian Dalton, the new flu czar.

Celebrity swine watch (Jul 24, 2009 12:58 PM)

The first UK swine flu death in a person without underlying health problems was reported on Friday. According to today’s Daily Mail, the man was “admitted to Basildon Hospital in Essex on July 1 and was placed in isolation in the intensive care unit.” The death has been referred for a post-mortem. In the United States, the government is encouraging the public to help in the fight against swine flu.

Cases of A/H1N1 flu are nearing epidemic levels in London and West Midlands, say GPs (Jul 21, 2009 04:32 PM)

London and the West Midlands are approaching epidemic consultation rates for A/H1N1 influenza, figures from the Royal College of General Practitioners show. Epidemic activity can be defined as 200 consultations with patients with influenza-like illness per 100 000 people per week.

Patients and doctors are asked to report antivirals’ side effects as swine flu spreads (Jul 21, 2009 04:34 PM)

The number of people in the United Kingdom confirmed as having died after contracting the A/H1N1 virus rose to seven this week after the deaths of three more people, including two children, were announced. All were said to have had serious underlying health problems.

Assessing the severity of the novel influenza A/H1N1 pandemic (Jul 21, 2009 04:36 PM)

A major concern about the emergence of the novel strain of influenza A/H1N1 is the severity of illness it causes. Tini Garske and colleagues propose methods to obtain accurate estimates of the case fatality ratio as the pandemic unfolds

Healthcare workers should get top priority for vaccination against A/H1N1 flu, WHO says (Jul 21, 2009 04:39 PM)

The World Health Organization said on Monday 13 July that healthcare workers in all countries should be vaccinated against the A/H1N1 flu virus "as a first priority." They should be followed by high risk groups such as people with chronic conditions and pregnant women.

GPs will lead UK’s swine flu vaccination campaign (Jul 21, 2009 04:41 PM)

The government is planning a large scale but non-compulsory campaign of vaccination against the A/H1N1 virus.

Data on flu deaths are potentially misleading, say researchers (Jul 21, 2009 04:43 PM)

The only thing that can definitely be said about the A/H1N1 flu outbreak is that the virus is not becoming more virulent, said epidemiologists this week.

Feeling the strain of swine (Jul 24, 2009 12:59 PM)

New cases of swine flu went up by 42% in England last week according to new figures from the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Swine flu forecast (Jul 24, 2009 12:58 PM)

Yesterday was a busy day for swine flu in the UK. First we learnt that 65,000 people could die from it in the UK if the government’s worst case scenario predictions come true. That’s three times more than the excess deaths during the 1999/2000 winter flu season and double the number in the two previous global pandemics in 1957-8 and 1968-9.

Confusion over flu advice in pregnancy (Jul 24, 2009 01:01 PM)

A storm erupted over the weekend about the government’s advice to pregnant women on swine flu.

England to launch special flu service next week to take pressure off primary care (Jul 21, 2009 04:50 PM)

The Department of Health for England has brought forward by three months its plans for a national pandemic flu service to relieve pressure on GPs and other NHS service providers as the number of cases of influenzaA/H1N1 and consultations continue to rise rapidly. The service, which will launch towards the end of the week, means that people will be able to get a prescription for antiviral drugs through a special telephone and internet service rather than by visiting or telephoning their GP.

Government tries to end confusion over swine flu advice to pregnant women (Jul 22, 2009 02:47 PM)

The government has issued new guidance to try to end the confusion over advice to pregnant women on how to avoid the A/H1N1 virus.

Prescribing antivirals - is beyond 48 hours too late? (Jul 24, 2009 01:00 PM)

After Monday’s statement to the House of Commons from Andy Burnham (you can watch all ten hours of the commons session here), the RCGP emailed members to summarise this and other developments.

A/H1N1 influenza update (Jul 23, 2009 04:55 PM)

As the English government launches a dedicated telephone service and website that will prescribe antivirals to take the pressure off of GPs, Adrian O’Dowd reports on the latest information on swine flu

How well is the UK managing the influenza A/H1N1 pandemic? (Jul 24, 2009 11:11 AM)

Pretty well, and it has served as an important rehearsal for a more lethal pandemic, says Roy Anderson

Who wants to be the flu doctor? (Jul 24, 2009 11:14 AM)

A couple of weeks ago, some GPs contacted a clinical ethics committee. They cited guidance issued by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the BMA, and the Department of Health: "Every GP practice must identify the person in the practice who will act as the practice lead on flu pandemic issues."

"You can’t have swine flu" (Jul 24, 2009 11:16 AM)

"Never assume" is a good maxim for life in general, but it seems particularly apt as we try to get to grips with the first major new disease to hit us for some time.

EU prepares new guidelines for monitoring swine flu (Jul 24, 2009 01:38 PM)

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is planning to issue new surveillance advice to national health authorities on the A/H1N1 influenza pandemic.

Sneeze and Click service launched in England (Jul 24, 2009 02:09 PM)

Last week 100,000 people are estimated to have had swine flu in the UK. 840 are in hospital and 63 are in intensive care according to Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson. The number of deaths has climbed to 26, while worldwide 700 are thought to have died.

Swine flu website inundated as cases in England double in a week (Jul 24, 2009 04:41 PM)

The Department of Health for England said that the number of cases of influenza A/H1N1 has almost doubled, increasing to 100 000, from about 55 000 a week ago.

A/H1N1 influenza virus: the basics (Jul 24, 2009 04:40 PM)

Do you know your H1N1s from your H2N2s? Geoff Watts explains the basic science of the influenza virus

Swine flu: an update from the HPA (Jul 27, 2009 10:18 AM)

The HPA has a key role in the coordination of the UK's response to a pandemic, and continues to be the key point of contact for surveillance. This audio module tells you how they are doing this. The module gives the most recent advice in light of the current stage of the pandemic.

Critical care and the pandemic panic (Jul 27, 2009 03:56 PM)

A “panic pandemic” is worsening the crisis in the UK said health ministers over the weekend. Andy Burnham, the health secretary, told The Observer of the need for people to keep a sense of perspective.

Pregnancy and swine flu: (Jul 31, 2009 02:53 PM)

If you’re pregnant lock yourself in the house, shut the curtains and wear a facemask if you so much as put your nose outside the door… has advice to pregnant women finally gone too far?

Collection point nonsense (Jul 30, 2009 08:56 AM)

Talk of swine flu seems to have died down considerably since the launch of the national flu pandemic service in England last week. Despite the lack of news generally, it’s no longer on the front page of every newspaper - perhaps due to the telling off that the media got at the weekend (see Monday’s blog).