The best thing to do is, according to the phrase being used these days is “social distancing.” We’ve always called it separation, and it works rather well.

More than 700 people have died from the swine flu virus worldwide since H1N1 emerged in April, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

Twenty-nine of those deaths have been in the UK but the WHO is no longer giving country-by-country breakdowns.

The global death toll is about 300 up on the 429 reported two weeks ago but since then countries have been told there is no longer any need to report infections.

The figure compares with 262 confirmed deaths from bird flu in 15 countries since 2003.

The WHO report of deaths came as Britain’s chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said pregnant women, cancer patients on chemotherapy and others with weakened immune systems may be advised to stay away from crowds for “a few weeks” when the swine flu pandemic reaches its height, probably this autumn.

Mothers-to-be are at present not being recommended to cut back on normal activities such as going to work, using public transport or attending events and family gatherings, but that could change if swine flu reached a level of, for example, one in three of the population.

But Donaldson also said some pregnant women may wish to exercise their choice now “on a highly precautionary basis, to avoid large, densely populated gatherings where they have little control over personal contact”.

Donaldson has been attempting to clarify official advice since confusion emerged at the weekend over exactly what it meant.

Source/Full Story::  guardian.co.uk
Technorati Tags: social distancing, H1N1, swine flu, separation

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