8:30am Friday 1st May 2009
By Staff Reporter
THE region’s NHS leaders say the North West is ready to deal with a flu pandemic.
Plans have been developed over the last five years to manage any outbreak and NHS North West wants to reassure people it is prepared. Dr Ruth Hussey, North West regional director for public health, said: “Our NHS hospitals and primary care trusts have been working with the Health Protection Agency to put into action the plans that have been developed and thoroughly tested for such an eventuality.
“They have been preparing for a possible pandemic for five years.
“It is unclear where the swine flu virus will spread, however we are anticipating there will be some cases in our region.”
The World Health Organisation has raised its alert level for pandemic influenza to five, meaning they believe a worldwide pandemic is imminent.
There are now eight confirmed cases in England and all of them had recently travelled to an affected country. Swine flu is thought to have originated in Mexico.
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