The Health Protection Agency (HPA) estimates that there were 55,000 new cases of swine flu in the UK last week.  The under-5's and 5-14 year olds are the age groups most affected.  30 cases have proven fatal so far, nearly all with underlying medical conditions.

Ongoing containment of A/H1N1 has become impractical and most countries have now moved from containment to treatment of the virus, although it's important to keep the severity of the virus in context: seasonal flu related deaths in the UK during average winters normally number between 6,000 to 8,000 (Source: Office for National Statistics).  The World Health Organistation (WHO) is no longer tracking numbers of cases and tracing of people who have been in contact with a sufferer by the Health Protection Agency has also now ceased.

Whilst the situation is still evolving, further spread of the pandemic is considered inevitable.  GP's are now able to diagnose swine flu on the basis of symptoms, rather than waiting for laboratory testing.  People who may have been exposed to the virus are no longer being given anti-viral drugs as a preventative measure (except people in higher risk groups).  Anyone diagnosed with swine flu will continue to be offered anti-virals.

Nearly all patients have experienced uncomplicated, self-limited illness and usually recover quickly, even without medical treatment, within a week of the onset of symptoms.  Some groups, such as pregnant women, persons with asthma and other chronic conditions such as morbid obesity appear to be at increased risk.  Although in past influenza pandemics viruses have needed more than six months to spread as widely as A/H1N1 has spread in recent weeks, it is important to recall that the situation has been charaterized, to date, by the mildness of symptoms in the overwhelming majority of patients.

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