World Cup flu vaccine call

Friday March 19th, 2010

Football fans travelling to South Africa for the World Cup could find themselves facing infection from swine flu, British experts warned yesterday.

Travellers are being urged to get vaccinated against the swine flu - as the World Cup will take place in the middle of the southern hemisphere's flu season.

GPs are to get advice on giving vaccine to travellers from the British director of immunisation Professor David Salisbury.

Chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson said: "The next flu season in the Southern Hemisphere will be starting soon and the pandemic flu virus is expected to return.

"Travellers should protect themselves by getting the vaccine well before they travel. Those attending the World Cup in South Africa in June should also take advantage of the protection the vaccine can offer."

British officials said flu rates in the UK remain low - although another ten deaths from swine flu over the winter months have been confirmed.

* Meanwhile a study in the southern hemisphere highlights the risks to pregnant women from the swine flu virus, H1N1.

The study in Australia and New Zealand - which had high rates of swine flu - showed that a woman who contracted the virus faced a 13 times increased risk of ending up in intensive care if she was pregnant.

Researchers found 64 women to whom this happened - and found that seven died and 44 needed ventilation to help breathing.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, researcher Dr Ian Seppelt, of the University of Sydney, Australia, says: "Although a mortality of 11 per cent seems low when compared to usual outcomes of respiratory failure in intensive care, a maternal mortality of 11 per cent is high when compared with any other obstetric condition."

Tags: Africa | Australia | Childbirth and Pregnancy | Flu & Viruses | Men’s Health | Traveller Health | UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology

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