Huddersfield is ready for swine flu, says health chief

May 2 2009 by Anne-Marie Senior, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

HUDDERSFIELD is ready for a flu pandemic, says a public health chief.

His reassuring comments come after health workers and other agencies were called to emergency planning talks across Kirklees this week as the threat of swine flu looms.

Today James Williams, assistant director of public health for NHS Kirklees, said work had been going on behind the scenes for years to plan for a major flu bug in Huddersfield.

And he confirmed the town was fully prepared to cope if a pandemic hit the area.

He said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to reassure our community that NHS Kirklees has been working closely with the Health Protection Agency, colleagues from the local council, emergency services and other providers of care in Kirklees for a number of years on a way of handling this type of scenario.

“At the moment though, we are not in a pandemic situation and currently there are no confirmed cases of swine influenza in West Yorkshire.

“We are very well prepared if the situation does change and are in constant liaison with colleagues and partners across the region.

“We don’t yet know if this variant of flu will become a pandemic and so for the time being our advice is to be vigilant but not to be unduly concerned.

“If anyone does feel unwell or have flu-like symptoms and has recently travelled to one of the affected areas, stay at home and contact either your GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647.”

His comments came after three new swine flu cases were confirmed in the UK on Thursday, bringing the total number to eight.