Swine Flu
More information is available on the Department of Health
website - follow the link at the bottom of this page.
Pandemic Flu
Pandemic flu affecting humans occurs when a new flu virus emerges
which is very different from recently circulating strains.
It could happen if:
- Animal flu viruses such as Avian or Swine Flu combine with
‘ordinary’ human flu or
- the Animal Flu virus mutates and you get a completely new flu
strain that can be transmitted directly from one person to
another.
Few people, if any, would have any immunity to a new virus and
this can lead to more serious illness and complications. Similarly
when immunity is low it also allows the virus to spread more
rapidly and leads to a local epidemic becoming a pandemic - a
pandemic occurs when an illness crosses national boundaries and
affects many countries around the world, each pandemic is different
and, until a virus starts circulating, it is impossible to predict
its full effect.
The World Health Organisation is coordinating international
efforts to identify and develop vaccines and treatments to reduce
the effects of this illness, the hardest part in this process is
that the exact science can only be achieved as the illness emerges,
so understanding how virus mutate, and finding medicines that
reduce their ability to reproduce and spread has and continues to
be a key area of work.
Absences from illness may be considerably higher than normal
absence patterns, placing unusual demands on both local business's
and public services abilities to provide their normal levels of
service. Organisations should be developing business continuity
plans to enable them selves to assess staff absences both directly
and the organisations that support them, eg other suppliers, stock
for production, looking at staff working from home, and so on.
All authoritative sources, identify personal hygiene as being,
whilst the most basic step in self help, one of the most effective
barriers to transmission; clean hands regularly in hot fresh water
with soap, clean surfaces as for hands, washing clothing at
recommended temperatures with recommended detergent, have all been
identified as simple but very effective steps in reducing the
spread of the illness.
For further detailed information visit:
Bluetongue Virus
Bluetongue is a disease of animals affecting all
ruminants, i.e sheep, cattle, deer, goats and camelids
(camels, llamas, alpacas, guanaco and vicuña).
Although sheep are most severely affected, cattle are the main
carrier of the virus and are very important in the epidemiology of
the disease. It is characterised by changes to the mucous
linings of the mouth and nose and the coronary band of the
foot. Bluetongue is present when it is confirmed by
laboratory tests that the Bluetongue virus (BTV) is circulating in
an area. Bluetongue does not affect humans. For further
information on the virus and related matters follow the link
below.
Department of the Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs - Defra.
Avian Flu
Avian flu affects birds. It has been transmitted to
people who work in very close proximity to birds (such as
poultry workers).
If you find one or more dead swans/wild fowl (ducks and geese),
more than three dead birds of the same species or more
than five dead birds of different species, in the same place,
you should contact the Department for the Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (Defra) helpline 08459 335577. Currently the
helpline is available Monday - Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday -
Sunday 9am to 6pm. You will be asked for details of your
finding and its location.
Seasonal flu
This 'ordinary' flu occurs in the UK population as a matter of
course, usually two or three times per year.
Useful links
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs - Defra
Department of
Health