Swine flu: More cases confirmed in the UK

Average rating:

1 May 2009: Three new cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the UK, bringing the total confirmed cases to 8. Two cases were in London and another was in Newcastle.

Later today doctors are expected to confirm the UK's first case of swine flu that has been passed from person to person. Graeme Pacitti became unwell after going out with his friend Iain Askham. Iain and his wife Dawn were the first UK confirmed cases of swine flu which they caught while on their honeymoon in Mexico. Iain and Dawn were discharged from hospital yesterday and are said to be 'recovering well'.

230 other suspected cases are being investigated in the UK. Experts have said that the majority of these are likely to have been spread from person to person.

Yesterday the World Health Organisation raised the pandemic alert level to 5 (out of 6) meaning that it has spread from person to person in at least 2 countries and a pandemic is likely.

Dr Alan McNally, a researcher into influenza and senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, said the virus spreading from person to person wasn't a surprising development: 'We know that it is transmitted from human to human, it has happened in other parts of the world and we know it will happen here.'

Sources: Sky News, BBC News, The Guardian

More information on swine flu

Swine flu need to know guide - the latest news and all the facts
What is swine flu and what's a pandemic?
How will Britain cope in a pandemic?
How to stop infections and viruses from spreading

Protecting yourself from swine flu

Swine flu is spread in the same way as normal flu - through coughing and sneezing. The NHS have released this video showing how viruses spread and how you can stop them.