100,000 swine flu cases a day warning

Thursday 2nd July 2009, 1:59PM BST.

CHILE Flu 1

Health Secretary Andy Burnham today warned swine flu cases could rise to over 100,000 a day by the end of August. The warning came in a Commons statement.

Mr Burnham stressed this was only a projection, but said scientists expected to see “rapid rises” in the number hit by the virus.

“Cases are doubling every week and on this trend we could see over 100,000 cases per day by the end of August.”

Mr Burnham confirmed there were now 7,447 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK and a significant number of people had been hospitalised.

His statement came as Shropshire Council confirmed two members of staff at Radbrook Primary School in Shrewsbury have been tested for swine flu. The school remained open today.

A council spokesman said: “Two members of staff have displayed flu-like symptoms and the results of the clinical tests are awaited.

“The school is following advice from the Health Protection Agency to keep the staff members at home for seven days from the outset of their symptoms.

“A letter has been issued to all parents by the school.”

Meanwhile a sports centre at the site of another Shrewsbury school is to re-open tomorrow after being closed when a male staff member was confirmed as having the virus. The Mary Webb Sports Centre in Pontesbury was shut on Tuesday and a “deep clean” of the premises was carried out.

Dothill Primary School in Wellington, Telford, has also stayed open after a boy at the school was confirmed with the illness, one of eight confirmed cases in the Telford & Wrekin borough.


  1. 1
    bigbeast

    I sincerely hope to catch this as soon as possible {its quite mild} in order to get my immune system up and ready if/when it mutates.

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  2. 2
    libby

    If the virus mutates then your immune system wouldn’t recognise it to fight it even if you had the current mild form, as the virus will have changed its make up.

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  3. 3
    Maximus

    I wonder at what point this Government will begin to close down places of mass attendance, Schools,Colleges,Bingo Halls,Nightclubs,Pubs,Leisure centres,Churches & Mosques?
    When 200,000 a day become infected?
    I for one do not wish to catch this at any time, as I would think others do, how do we know that if we catch it now, we will get protection from a mutated virus – if this was so, why have the Government now upped Tamiflu medication to 60 million doses by the end of the year?
    What will be the effects when the wall of 100,000 casualties a day is reached – will we still have any Hospital or Doctors availableto treat anything other than the Swine Flu?
    Even an everyday event such as shopping for food will become a life endangering mission to those with underlying health problems such as COPD, Bronchitis,suppressed immune system – do we have to consider using facemasks very soon?
    This is a very worrying upturn of events – it seems over 1.5 million Americans are now infected, and the figures growing daily, as are the deaths, we are just begining to see what may happen by Winter -am I just worrying about events beyond control, or should I consider isolating myself and family for a period of time to ensure that we are safe?
    Maximus

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  4. 4
    NoKidding

    Maximus, you should definitely consider isolating yourself. You could use the time to fill in the gaps in your knowledge.

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  5. 5
    Tory Boy

    this is the EU fault for letting immigrants into the UK – you watch clown brown will mess this up like he messed up foot and mouth

    this country has gone to the dogs since maggies left, we need to cut taxes now and get rid of brown

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  6. 6
    james

    i think the government and the media re over hyping this – its not a major issue

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  7. 7
    rpt Barrington-Black

    Ask any GP, Tamiflu does not really help, at best it shortens the illness by about a day.

    Huge amounts being spent on it, not because it is effective, but so that government can pretend to have reacted.

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  8. 8
    sara bradley

    i think as soon as it come in to the uk brown should of closed all airports .and contained the people who has got it the first day it come in but all that brown is thinking about is money money .if brown had it he would soon close everything down the school behind me has got it and im so sceard to go out of the house but if we get it we get it tell u the truth i would rather get it now and get it over and done with well hope it goes soon then we can all live a normal life from sara

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