Kirklees swine flu cases yet to soar

Oct 30 2009 By Anne-Marie Senior

THE SWINE FLU surge is yet to hit Kirklees, health chiefs confirmed today.

The number of cases being seen across the area is significantly lower than previously predicted.

The news came as hospital bosses at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust met to discuss the flu pandemic during their monthly board meeting.

Director of nursing Helen Thomson said the number of swine flu patients remained low.

And she confirmed no patient had been treated in intensive care solely because they had swine flu.

She said: “There has not been a lot of difference in the number of cases coming in during the past few weeks. We are not seeing a huge amount in hospital.

“It is fair to say our plans are still in place, but we are just not seeing the huge numbers coming in.

“Our 1,500 doses of vaccine have now arrived and vaccination has commenced. We do not anticipate any problems in getting hold of the vaccine.”

Staff across both Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital are being offered the jab.

Medical director Yvette Oade added: “There has been good uptake of the vaccine amongst staff. We have targeted those on the children’s ward and in both the intensive care and neonatal units first.

“The staff are glad to be getting it.