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| Leicester Royal Infirmary closes wards over swine flu | Leicester Royal Infirmary closes wards over swine flu |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three wards at Leicester's Royal Infirmary have closed after 14 cancer patients were diagnosed with swine flu. | |
| The patients, who are suffering with the H1N1 strain of influenza, have been isolated to avoid an outbreak, the hospital said. | The patients, who are suffering with the H1N1 strain of influenza, have been isolated to avoid an outbreak, the hospital said. |
| Another three people being treated at the city's Glenfield Hospital also have swine flu, but these are not linked to the cases at the other hospital. | |
| Anyone suffering from cold and flu symptoms should avoid both hospitals. | |
| More on stories for Leicester and Leicestershire | More on stories for Leicester and Leicestershire |
| "Fourteen patients on three Haematology wards at the Leicester Royal Infirmary have developed symptoms that have been confirmed as flu," Liz Collins, lead nurse for infection prevention said. | |
| "All necessary precautions were taken and these patients have been isolated to avoid an outbreak." | |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| James Gallagher, health editor BBC News website | James Gallagher, health editor BBC News website |
| Swine flu caused a pandemic in 2009 when the virus jumped from animals into people and then spread rapidly around the world. | Swine flu caused a pandemic in 2009 when the virus jumped from animals into people and then spread rapidly around the world. |
| Since then things have calmed down and it has joined the pantheon of other flus that lead to outbreaks every winter. | Since then things have calmed down and it has joined the pantheon of other flus that lead to outbreaks every winter. |
| In the past seven days, 31 outbreaks of swine flu were reported in the UK - including eight in hospitals. | In the past seven days, 31 outbreaks of swine flu were reported in the UK - including eight in hospitals. |
| Despite still being known as "swine flu" - there's nothing special about it and it is no more or less scary than other types of flu. | Despite still being known as "swine flu" - there's nothing special about it and it is no more or less scary than other types of flu. |
| However, there will be concern for these patients as cancer treatment can weaken the immune system, making it harder to fight infection. | However, there will be concern for these patients as cancer treatment can weaken the immune system, making it harder to fight infection. |
| After the 2009 pandemic, the winter flu jab was upgraded to give protection against swine flu so anyone who was immunised this flu season should have some protection. | After the 2009 pandemic, the winter flu jab was upgraded to give protection against swine flu so anyone who was immunised this flu season should have some protection. |
| And so far flu viruses are circulating at lower levels in the UK than last year. | And so far flu viruses are circulating at lower levels in the UK than last year. |
| The three patients at Glenfield Hospital are receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) - a treatment for people with severe heart or lung problems. | The three patients at Glenfield Hospital are receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) - a treatment for people with severe heart or lung problems. |
| Dr Philip Monk, from Public Health England, said it was unlikely it would ever be known how the flu got onto the wards. | Dr Philip Monk, from Public Health England, said it was unlikely it would ever be known how the flu got onto the wards. |
| "It is a normal winter - and swine flu is the normal flu and the number of cases is not that high across the East Midlands," he said. | "It is a normal winter - and swine flu is the normal flu and the number of cases is not that high across the East Midlands," he said. |
| "Obviously, when it gets into a clinical setting where people are very vulnerable then this is a difficult situation to manage. Everything is being done and it is under control." | "Obviously, when it gets into a clinical setting where people are very vulnerable then this is a difficult situation to manage. Everything is being done and it is under control." |
| Hospital bosses said as many frontline staff as possible would be vaccinated against flu and would wear masks, gowns and gloves on the wards. | Hospital bosses said as many frontline staff as possible would be vaccinated against flu and would wear masks, gowns and gloves on the wards. |
| The affected areas have also received increased cleaning. | The affected areas have also received increased cleaning. |
| It was earlier thought that the number of patients diagnosed at the LRI was 16, but Public Health England has since corrected that figure. | |
| Swine flu | Swine flu |