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If you are a journalist wanting to contact North Norfolk District Council for information or comment, please call Nick Manthorpe, Media Officer, on 01263 516059 or Peter Battrick, Communications Manager, on 01263 516344. You can also email media@north-norfolk.gov.uk

The team also produces the quarterly Outlook magazine for North Norfolk residents, as well as meeting the council's in-house design and branding business needs.

Swine Flu: WHO Level 6 and the local response

11 June 2009

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF NHS NORFOLK

 

Date Issued: 11.06.09

 

WHO Phase 6 has been declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) today [Thursday, 11 June, 2009]. WHO Phase 6 is the highest international declaration and is characterised by ‘increased and sustained transmission in the general population’.

This increase in declaration indicates that a global pandemic is underway.

A Department of Health spokesperson said today: "The localised cases of swine flu found in the UK have, in the majority of cases, not been severe and we have not seen evidence of widespread community transmission.

"We are continuing to work to slow the spread of the disease and to put in place arrangements to ensure that the UK is well-placed to deal with this new infection.

"But we must not be complacent - it is right to prepare for the possibility of a global pandemic.

"Clearly, the WHO declaring an official pandemic is a serious development. However, the WHO alert levels reflect the global view, and any action taken in the UK would be based on the situation here.

"We are monitoring the situation constantly and if anything changes we will react accordingly."

John Battersby, Director of Public Health for NHS Norfolk, mirrored that advice locally: “The key message around this is that WHO levels represents a change in the global picture around this outbreak.

“We still have only had one case of swine flu in Norfolk. Therefore, this escalation in level will have very little effect of the day to day business around swine flu locally.

“An escalation in services and local activity is more likely to be triggered by an escalation in the numbers of cases, and the move out of the ‘containment’ phase.

“NHS Norfolk has been working closely with partner agencies – and will continue to do so - to achieve an effective and proportionate response during this containment phase of the outbreak, while also making preparations in readiness for this transition into the mitigation phase.”

The Norfolk multi-agency response continues to be managed by the Strategic Coordinating Group.


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Media Contacts:
Lisa Mungham-Gray
NHS Norfolk Media Manager
Tel: 01603 257100
lisa.mungham-gray@norfolk.nhs.uk

NHS Norfolk, Lakeside 400, Old Chapel Way, Broadland Business Park, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, NR7 0WG