A third of school children may have had swine flu, HPA warns
By Sanjay Tanday, 25 November 2009
Up to a third of school children in hotspot areas such as London and the West Midlands may have contracted swine flu during the first wave of the pandemic, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has said.
HPA figures estimate that a fifth of children will have been infected with swine flu (Photo credit: directgov)
But not all of the children will have displayed symptoms, highlighting the fact that the current pandemic appears to be of a mild strain of flu.
Across the rest of the UK, it is estimated that a fifth of children will have been infected with swine flu.
The latest findings come from a HPA study of blood sera tests carried out among 500 school children in England.
Professor Maria Zambon, director of the HPA's centre for infections, said that swine flu was having a limited impact on the older population because the over-50s have some degree of pre-existing immunity to the virus.
More information about swine flu on our online resource centre
Further Reading
Related links
Additional Information
Latest jobs Jobs web feed
- 2X Part Time Salaried GPs Deerness Park Medical Centre Competitive, Sunderland Tyne & Wear
- Full time GP partner - Isle of Man Laxey and Village Walk Health Centres Competitive, Isle of Man
- A&E Specialty Doctors Hays Healthcare £36000.00 - £68000.00 per annum, London
- GP Locum in Dorset - Short Term Locum Fresh Medical Recruitment £70 per hour, Dorset
- GP Locum in North London - Weekday Shifts Fresh Medical Recruitment £70 per hour, London
- Consultant A&E Doctors Hays Healthcare £74000.00 - £100000.00 per annum, London
Most read
- NHS reforms: Interactive Health Bill timeline
- Clinical Quiz on GPonline.com
- CMOs issue vitamin D warning to GPs
- RCGP demands withdrawal of Health Bill in letter to PM
- England's CMO issues cold snap warning to vulnerable patients
- BMA leaders call for Lansley to quit as Lords prepare to debate reforms
Most commented
MIMS Drug Search
Possible searches include drugs (by brand, generic ingredient or drug class), diseases and more.
