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This section provides you with regular updates regarding swine flu including the latest published weekly swine flu bulletin for Northern Ireland and a global update from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Local

Weekly Swine Flu bulletin

This bulletin includes data for week ending Friday 29 January (Week 4) and gives a good representation of the level of flu activity across Northern Ireland.

The key points are as follows:

GP consultation rates for combined ‘flu/ Flu like illness (FLI) have decreased from 23.2/100,000 population in Week 3 to 18.1/100,000 in Week 4 (22% decrease)
rates remain well below the Northern Ireland threshold for seasonal influenza activity.
out of hours calls for ‘flu/FLI decreased this week from 65 in Week 3 to 54 in Week 4 (17% decrease)
there were no swine flu detections in Week 4
a cumulative total of 1,361 swine flu detections in Northern Ireland as at noon 3 February 2010.
there were no new hospitalised cases this week
a cumulative total of 574 (updated) hospitalised swine flu cases as at noon 3 February 2010
the number of RSV detections decreased from 27 in Week 3 to 23 in Week 4 (15% decrease)
there were no new swine flu deaths this week. There has been a total 18 swine flu related deaths in Northern Ireland
antiviral prescriptions have decreased from 46 in Week 3 to 25 in Week 4 (46% decrease)
the total number of antivirals issued was 24,073 as of noon on 3 February 2010

The bulletin can be downloaded at the following link:

Priority groups for swine flu vaccine

The priority groups for the swine flu vaccination, in order of priority are:

individuals aged six months and up to 65 years in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at risk groups
pregnant women
household contacts of immunocompromised individuals
people aged 65 and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at risk groups
frontline health and social care are also amongst the first to be offered the vaccine

National swine flu pandemic

The UK has moved to a treatment phase in relation to managing the swine flu pandemic. This means that the focus is on treating those people who actually have swine flu and in particular those at higher risk of developing complications. In addition, the routine testing of suspected cases and the tracing of close contacts of a symptomatic patient has been discontinued. The level of flu in the community is therefore being monitored using a range of surveillance mechanisms through GP practices, Out of Hours centres, antiviral prescriptions and hospital surveillance systems. This enables monitoring of flu levels and identify trends in activity.

Don't spread the virus

To avoid spreading the virus, if you think you have swine flu, you should stay at home and take simple measures to alleviate symptoms. And, if you are still concerned, contact your GP.

You can also go online and check your symptoms on nidirect or call the Northern Ireland swine flu helpline as follows:

phone: 0800 0514 142 (9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday)
textphone / text relay service: 18001 0800 0514 142

Information is also available on the swine flu information line 0800 1 513 513.

Swine flu and you

Global

World Health Organization (WHO) Alert Phase 6 - this means WHO declares a global pandemic.

You can find out more on the WHO website.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - WHO website