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Swine Flu - Guidance for Business Travellers

swine_flu If you are looking for advice on how swine flu might affect your travel plans, you should consult the travel advice for the country concerned provided by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is coordinating the global response to human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) and monitoring the corresponding threat of an influenza pandemic. Comprehensive advice and information on the current situation can be found on the WHO website.

If you are travelling to an affected country you should:

consult your usual healthcare provider for travel medical advice and further guidance if you have specific concerns
check our travel advice for the relevant country before travelling.

The Department of Health website gives further information on what the UK is doing in response to the outbreak. The Health Protection Agency has provided advice on measures which can be taken to prevent infection. General infection control practices and good respiratory hand hygiene can help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including the human swine influenza.

This includes:

covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue when possible
disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully
maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the
spread of the virus from your hands to face or to other people
cleaning hard surfaces (e.g. door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product
making sure your children follow this advice.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office are working closely with the Department of Health and other areas of HM Government. As far as possible, they will continue to deliver a consular service for British nationals resident or travelling overseas through their network of embassies, although there may be a limited services in some places affected by swine flu, depending on the scale and severity of the outbreak. If there is any change to the level of service they can provide, this will be reflected in on the FCO travel advice for that country.

Swine Flu - Update 19 May 2009

You are encouraged to share this with relevant colleagues and stakeholders, but please note that this brief should not be published on the internet or issued publicly. Changes are in bold. Please note that the next update will be issued on 22nd May.

If there are any significant developments affecting Scotland in the meantime we will provide interim updates.

OVERVIEW
• The UK has 102 confirmed cases of Influenza A(H1N1), (102 yesterday).

WHO alert remains at level 5 - Large clusters but person-to-person spread still localised; response plans must be ready for instant implementation for activation when required.

Scotland has 9 confirmed cases (the same as yesterday),

Scotland has 1 probable case (the same as yesterday).

Staff will return to Ravenscraig Primary School tomorrow (Tuesday 19th May) and pupils will return on Wednesday. Preparations are ongoing for children returning to the Ladybird Nursery on Thursday 21st May.
Scotland has 4 possible cases all undergoing testing.
England has 92 confirmed cases (the same as yesterday).
Northern Ireland has 1 confirmed case (the same as yesterday)
According to WHO data as at 06:00 GMT on 18 May 2009, Influenza A(H1N1) has been confirmed in 40 countries.
WHO reports that as at 06:00 GMT on 18 May 2009 Mexico has reported 3103 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 68 deaths. The United States has reported 4714 laboratory confirmed human cases, including 4 deaths. Canada has reported 496 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported 9 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.
The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Chile, China and, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea (3), Spain (100), Sweden (2), Switzerland (1), Turkey, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

A rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases in Japan has been reported. 125 cases have now been reported (the previous figure being 7)

Thomas Cook flights from Glasgow International Airport to Cancun will start on 25 May. Thomson flights from Glasgow International Airport to Cancun will start on 29 May.

Q&A is available on the SG website, as a set of FAQs, at the following link - www.scotland.gov.uk/swinefluQandA

Business leaders alongside representatives of Scotland's Strategic Coordinating Groups, COSLA and the STUC attended a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on Monday 11 May to discuss the ongoing Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak. The need for and timing of future meetings will be kept under review.

UK and INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

The FCO has issued advice on website for travellers returning from Mexico and other infected areas.
Thomas Cook and Thomson's have announced that flights will be going to Cancun from Glasgow Airport with effect from 25th and 26 May respectively.
Outside of Mexico, all cases are reported to be mild with flu-like symptoms.
European Union, Member states have taken the following precautions:

Information provided to public and travellers.
Surveillance procedures in place.
Health professionals have been alerted.
No travel restrictions in place.
Pandemic preparedness arrangements under review.

Public information leaflets are now being delivered to all UK households by Royal Mail. Copies of these - and all the publicity material - are available now on the Scottish Government website.
The leaflet includes the number for the flu information line (0800 1 513 513) and the NHS 24 web address.