Rhondda Cynon Taf Swine Flu Latest |
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Written by Rhondda Cynon Taf
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Thursday, 09 July 2009 12:28 |
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Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is aware of 13 cases of swine flu being diagnosed in the county as of 11am today (July 9).
All of the cases were diagnosed by a GP or NHS Direct and, in line with the national guidelines, those affected are recovering at home having received, where appropriate, the necessary medication.
The cases in Rhondda Cynon Taf that the Council has been notified of are:
· Four pupils at Cardinal Newman School in Rhydyfelin.
· Four pupils at Pontyclun Primary
· One pupil at St Michaels RC
· A 75-year-old lady in the community who had been in contact with a confirmed case of swine flu in Exeter.
· One case at Penygraig Juniors.
· One case at St John the Baptist School in Aberdare.
· A student at Parc Lewis School, Treforest.
Changes to the way swine flu is being diagnosed and recorded means it is difficult for the authority to be certain it has accurate figures of those who have been clinically diagnosed as having the virus.
Previously, all cases were confirmed in a laboratory and the figures sent back to central agencies. As the virus becomes more prolific, people are being diagnosed over the phone by their GP or NHS Direct and those cases are not necessarily being recorded or reported to central authorities.
Only cases where the person is hospitalised, considered to be vulnerable or has an underlying medical condition are being sent to the laboratory to be confirmed.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is only aware of the cases that are reported to it by schools.
In line with standard advice people are urged to:
· Stay at home if they have flu-like symptoms
· Do not go into doctors’ surgeries or hospital Accident and Emergency rooms but, instead, contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 or their doctor. They can also check their symptoms on the Swine Flu information line on 0800 1 513 513.
· If you have been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with swine flu, but you are not displaying symptoms, there is no reason for you to stay off work or school or isolate yourself.
Symptoms of swine flu are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include a fever, cough, sore throat, aching muscles, sneezing, fatigue, runny nose and lack of appetite. Some people with swine flu have also reported vomiting and diarrhoea.
It is always important to practice respiratory and hand hygiene techniques which can reduce the risk of catching or spreading swine flu, such as:
o Covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible.
o Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully.
o Maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people.
o Cleaning hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.
o Providing children with supplies of disposable tissues.
o Helping children follow this advice.
Cllr Mike Forey, Cabinet Member with responsibility for health, explained: “We and our partner agencies are responding to it as we would to any other flu outbreak, ensuring people have the information they need to ensure they seek the appropriate advice and treatment.
“It is clear that the virus will spread and so instead we are freeing up resources to deal with those who do show symptoms, ensuring they get treatment and medication.
“We are now relying more on clinical symptoms rather than laboratory tests to diagnose the illness. This is in line with UK government policy on the treatment and management of swine flu.”
Cllr Eudine Hanagan, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, added: “A number of the school-related cases are in the same school, which is no great surprise as viruses spread through classrooms regularly.
“The pupils are not in school, are undergoing treatment and we, as a Local Education Authority, are providing all the support we can for staff to help them manage the situation.
“Letters have been sent home to parents to inform them of the situation and ensure they know where to seek advice if their child becomes ill.
“We advise people who want more information to call the Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513.”
No further public health action will be taken at this time. The National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) will continue to monitor the situation.
http://www.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk Wales-Cymru News
http://www.wales-cymru.org
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