Complacency warning as swine flu spread slows
Wed May 6th, 2009
The global total of swine flu cases increased dramatically yesterday - but just one new case was confirmed in Britain.
As some 1,490 cases were confirmed worldwide, public health experts were watching closely to see whether the virus would take hold in the southern hemisphere, where winter is beginning.
A cluster of six cases was reported in New Zealand but the bulk of cases remained in the north and central America.
In Mexico, the source of the infection, the total of confirmed cases reach 822, including 29 deaths.
Several European countries, including Germany, France and Italy reported several cases while the total in Spain climbed to 57.
In Britain the total of confirmed cases reached 28 with a further 333 under investigation.
British chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson warned against complacency yesterday.
He said: "We may see an apparent peak in the incidents over the next month or so, but that doesn't mean it's gone away.
"It could be that we'll see a resurgence of the virus in the autumn and winter when the normal flu season starts.
"We must not be complacent. We know that flu viruses can change their character very rapidly as they move through populations."
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