Health chief’s ‘stay at home’ swine flu message
9:36am Tuesday 28th April 2009 in News By Staff Reporter
BOLTON residents who display symptoms of the flu should stay at home to prevent it spreading, the town’s health chief has said.
Jan Hutchinson, director of public health, spoke out yesterday as fears deepened over a swine flu pandemic, which experts suspect has so far killed more than 100 people in Mexico. Health Secretary Alan Johnson told the House of Commons that 25 potential cases had been reported in the UK, three of which were undergoing further specialist tests.
A Canadian woman, visiting Sale, Cheshire, who was suspected of having swine flu, was later found not to have the illness.
Mr Johnson said “enhanced” port health checks had been put in place to identify passengers arriving in the UK with symptoms.
Ms Hutchinson added: “The most important way to help limit the spread of any infection, including flu viruses, is to follow basic hygiene rules. If you are suffering from symptoms that could be flu, don’t go to your doctor or an A&E department. Stay at home and get advice by phone from your doctor or from NHS Direct.”
