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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| UK 'close' to winning flu fight | UK 'close' to winning flu fight |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| The UK is "tantalisingly" close to winning the battle against swine flu, the chief medical officer says. | The UK is "tantalisingly" close to winning the battle against swine flu, the chief medical officer says. |
| Sir Liam Donaldson explained while past pandemics claimed tens of thousands of lives, the death toll for the current one was being kept relatively low. | Sir Liam Donaldson explained while past pandemics claimed tens of thousands of lives, the death toll for the current one was being kept relatively low. |
| But he warned he was still expecting a surge of cases during the autumn and winter months. | But he warned he was still expecting a surge of cases during the autumn and winter months. |
| And just in case the next wave proved particularly bad, he unveiled plans to double intensive care bed numbers. | And just in case the next wave proved particularly bad, he unveiled plans to double intensive care bed numbers. |
| I think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer | I think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer |
| Sir Liam said the use of anti-flu drugs and the forthcoming vaccine programme meant the signs were encouraging. | Sir Liam said the use of anti-flu drugs and the forthcoming vaccine programme meant the signs were encouraging. |
| There were only a further five deaths in the past week bringing the overall total in the UK to 75 since the swine flu outbreak began. | There were only a further five deaths in the past week bringing the overall total in the UK to 75 since the swine flu outbreak began. |
| "I think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus. | "I think we are tantalisingly close to being able to win the battle against the pandemic virus. |
| "In past [pandemics] we have had to take whatever it has thrown at us." | "In past [pandemics] we have had to take whatever it has thrown at us." |
| Nonetheless, Sir Liam said it was only right that the NHS should still plan for the worst case scenario. | Nonetheless, Sir Liam said it was only right that the NHS should still plan for the worst case scenario. |
| Earlier this week the Tories had said emergency planning for critical care was the weak link in the flu preparations. | Earlier this week the Tories had said emergency planning for critical care was the weak link in the flu preparations. |
| Ministers had already started drawing up proposals and these have now been unveiled. | Ministers had already started drawing up proposals and these have now been unveiled. |
| Pressure | Pressure |
| The strategy means the number of adult intensive care beds could increase to well over 4,000 across the UK if there was severe pressure on services. | |
| However, officials admitted they may struggle to double the number of beds for children, which currently stands at just over 300. | However, officials admitted they may struggle to double the number of beds for children, which currently stands at just over 300. |
| It may mean some older children being treated in adult units if there are large numbers of severely ill patients. | It may mean some older children being treated in adult units if there are large numbers of severely ill patients. |
| To expand services on this scale, hospitals have been asked to train extra staff. | To expand services on this scale, hospitals have been asked to train extra staff. |
| New ventilators are also being purchased. | New ventilators are also being purchased. |
| But as well as setting up temporary intensive care units, the plans also involve putting extra equipment into high dependency units - the level below intensive care. | But as well as setting up temporary intensive care units, the plans also involve putting extra equipment into high dependency units - the level below intensive care. |
| Ian Dalton, the national director for flu, said the decision to introduce the measures would not be taken lightly, but added the NHS may have to prioritise and turn-away non-urgent cases to save lives. | Ian Dalton, the national director for flu, said the decision to introduce the measures would not be taken lightly, but added the NHS may have to prioritise and turn-away non-urgent cases to save lives. |
| He added: "Clearly nobody knows whether the measures will be needed, but it would be inappropriate if we did not look into this." | He added: "Clearly nobody knows whether the measures will be needed, but it would be inappropriate if we did not look into this." |