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Statement on Swine Flu/AH1N1

The Secretary of State for Health (Alan Johnson):

With permission, Mr Speaker. I should like to make a statement on the reports of human cases of swine influenza known as the H1N1 infection in some parts of the world, notably Mexico and the United States of America.

The outbreak began in Mexico on 18 March and as at 9pm last night, there have been over 800 cases and 89 deaths in that country. However, to date, only 18 cases in Mexico have been confirmed as being caused by the H1N1 virus and it is highly possible that other, more routine causes of infection are also currently circulating in that country.

On Tuesday last week, under the terms of the International Health Regulations,  the United States reported seven cases of the H1N1 infection.   On Friday 24th April, the United States Centre for Disease Control confirmed that samples from Mexico contained the same virus as those in the United States. 

Twenty cases have now been confirmed in five different states of the USA, four have been confirmed in Canada and one in Spain. Suspected cases have also been reported from New Zealand, France and Israel,  although it is important to note that these are suspected cases and have not yet been confirmed as the H1N1 infection.

In the UK 25 cases are under investigation have been reported.  Eight of these have proved to be negative, and three are currently undergoing further specialist tests. These three patients are in isolation wards in hospital, after recently travelling in Mexico. People who have been in close contact with them are currently being contacted.  The remaining 14 suspected cases are undergoing initial investigation and the people involved are sufficiently well to be managed in the community. 

It is too early to say whether the cases in Mexico and the US will lead to a pandemic. Scientists do not yet understand the extent to which cases in Mexico and the US are linked and are not yet able to make a complete assessment of the health implications of this new virus.

A  pandemic is declared when the WHO raises the Pandemic Alert to Phase 6. This means that there is widespread person to person transmission of a virus in the general population.

At the moment we are at Phase 3.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Margaret Chan, has declared that this is a public health emergency of international concern. The WHO is convening a committee of experts from around the world which is meeting this afternoon to review the situation and determine what further action is required at a global level.

In deciding the state of the Pandemic Alert, the WHO bases its decision on expert scientific advice based on the available epidemiological  and scientific evidence.

The range of symptoms in the people affected is similar to those of regular human seasonal influenza.   It is important to note that, apart from in Mexico, all those infected with the virus have experienced mild symptoms and made a full recovery.  The swine flu that has been isolated in Mexico and the United States is sensitive to the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Ralenza.  These drugs are effective in treating the illness, provided they are taken quickly enough, and they can also  reduce the length of symptoms and usually their severity.

Initial action in the UK

I would like to outline to the House the measures which we are taking in response to this significant health threat.

The UK has been preparing for a flu pandemic for the last five years.  We have established a stockpile of enough antivirals to treat more than 33 million people, that is to say, half of the United Kingdon population.  All NHS organisations have pandemic flu plans in place and the Department of Health is now working closely with the NHS to ensure that these plans can be put into action so that antivirals can be made available to the public very rapidly should we reach that stage.

Over the weekend,  the Government has been putting in place precautionary measures to implement the plans we have been developing in the case of more widespread infections in the UK.  I have spoken to Ministerial colleagues and my opposition shadows this morning and I will be convening a meeting of the Civil Contingencies Committee immediately following this statement.

We have enhanced our port health checks  so that passengers arriving in the UK with symptoms of illness are identified and assessed.   Information is being made available to passengers arriving at ports and we have provided urgent advice to doctors.

Should the virus start spreading widely in the UK, we propose to use our antiviral stockpile for treatment of symptomatic patients.
 
We already have advance agreements in place with manufacturers, should a vaccine be developed, although it is important to note, that it will be sometime before scientists can develop a vaccine, as the virus is not yet sufficiently understood. Experts are currently examining whether vaccination with the regular, seasonal flu vaccine can in any way boost immunity to the H1N1 strain, and we are considering how best we can use the limited stocks that are currently available within the UK.

Many people will wish to know whether they should wear facemasks.  Although we are aware that facemasks are being given out to the public in Mexico, the available scientific evidence does not support the general wearing of facemasks by those who are not ill whilst going about their normal activities. 

We are, however, urgently looking into how we can increase our stockpiles of facemasks for healthcare workers who are treating sick patients.  We have also established infection control guidance to support staff when treating or caring for people who have symptoms.

Information for the public

We already have well advanced plans for providing information to the public in the event of a pandemic, in particular about what people can do to help themselves in the event of swine influenza being confirmed in the UK.

Updated information is available on NHS Choices and the HPA websites and further information is also available for health and social care staff on the Department of Health website.  We are putting in place an Information Line containing recorded, up to date information for those who want to know more about this type of flu.   In addition, NHS Direct is providing information to people who have recently travelled overseas and are worried that they may have symptoms.

Key messages

There are three key messages I would like to stress at this stage.

First, it is important to emphasise that in all cases outside Mexico, the symptoms of this illness are mild and all patients have made a full recovery. 

Second, we can all take simple measures to prevent infection, in particular covering the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and washing hands regularly. Any one who develops flu-like symptoms should go home and contact their GP.

Third, anyone who has recently travelled to the affected areas and is experiencing influenza- like illness should stay at home to limit contact with others and seek medical advice by phone from a local health professional or NHS Direct.  

In line with advice from the WHO, there are currently no travel restrictions on those who are planning to visit affected areas: anyone planning to do so is advised to ensure they take the measures I have outlined to prevent infection and to consult a doctor immediately if they show signs of flu-like symptoms.

To enable local health services to respond to the pressure that the possibility of a pandemic may bring on services, we are working with primary care trusts to ensure that arrangements are in place to support this distribution arrangement for antivirals, should this become necessary.

There is understandable trepidation and concern across the world. Here in the UK, we are monitoring the situation very closely alongside WHO and our international partners. The UK has been preparing for such an occurrence for a number of years and the World Health Organisation has recognised that the UK and France are the two best prepared countries in the world.

I wanted to take this opportunity to update the House on what we know so far and I will of course keep Parliament fully updated on what is obviously a rapidly developing situation.

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