Barnet council to be updated on swine flu virus (From Times Series)

Barnet council to be updated on swine flu virus

5:33pm Monday 15th June 2009 in

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AN update on swine flu cases in the borough will be discussed at a meeting tonight.

The Barnet Primary Care Trust (BPCT) will provide a Barnet Council committee with an update of the current position regarding the virus.

It comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global flu pandemic last week indicating the swine flu virus is spreading in at least two regions of the world.

The heath overview and scrutiny committee will be briefed on the borough's response to the situation and will discuss ways to tackle any problems in the future.

Andrew Burnett of the BPCT will address the committee on the latest developments during a meeting at Barnet House, in High Road, Whetstone, from 7pm.

Barnet had one of the UK's first confirmed cases of swine flu back in April.

The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has since spread to 74 countries.

Official reports say there have been nearly 30,000 cases globally and 141 deaths, with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile on a daily basis.

Symptoms are usually similar to seasonal flu although there is currrently no vaccine for the N1N1 strain that is causing such concern across the world.

Doctors advise people to carry out good personal hygiene, such as washing hands, covering nose when sneezing, to avoid spreading any of the symptoms.