Swine flu fears rocket throughout Flintshire

THE number of people visiting their doctor with fears over swine flu in Flintshire has rocketed by more than 140 times in a month, the Leader can reveal.

The figures come amid speculation that schools could be forced to remain closed after the summer holidays, although at the moment that is being viewed as a ‘last resort’ in the county.

Figures released by the National Public Health Service (NPHS) for Wales show that an average of 145 people in Flintshire have consulted their GP about the virus in the past week, compared to just one at the end of the first week in June.

Dr Roland Salmon, director of NPHS Wales’ Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, said: “The rise in numbers of people contacting their GP with flu like symptoms illustrates the spread of the disease across Wales.


“Not everyone however, who has contacted their GP with flu like symptoms will have swine flu and not everyone with swine flu contacts their GP.”

NPHS Wales is monitoring the number of flu consultations being carried out by GPs.Government ministers are also being asked to consider keeping schools closed for an extra month after the summer holidays, in order to buy more time for a vaccine to be developed.

A Flintshire Council spokesman said the authority would be following government advice in the autumn.

But Cllr Nigel Steele-Mortimer, the council’s executive member for education, said: “If we were advised to keep schools closed on medical grounds, then that is something we would have to consider, as a last resort.

“I would be very reluctant to interfere with children’s education.

"From what I have heard about the situation so far, I would be inclined to carry on as normal.”

People who think they may have swine flu are being advised not to visit their GP surgery or hospital, but to check their symptoms using the swine flu information line, on 0800 1513513.

Young Wrexham swine flu victim recovering well

by Garth ApThomas

A 10-year-old Wrexham schoolgirl is recovering at home after contracting swine flu.Ebony Charles, who attends St Giles Juniors, came down with the illness on Thursday and her family were initially devastated for her.

But she has shown tremendous resolve, her condition has picked up over the weekend and is looking to be well on the road to recovery.

Ebony’s mum, Sue, of Rhosymedre, said that the first signs of illness included a severe headache and feeling sick.“The school got in contact to say that Ebony was poorly. I went over to pick her up and she did look rough, very pale.”

Sue got in touch with her GP and swine flu was diagnosed.

She went to fetch a prescription from the Maelor Hospital and the medication has been working well.“Ebony has picked up a bit over the weekend and looks to be recovering well.

It is such a relief. When I first realised she was ill I was hoping it would just be something like a small viral infection.

I was mortified when swine flu was diagnosed.“We are a big family, with my husband and seven children there are nine of us.

“We were advised to carry on our normal day to day lives.“Ebony has been really good.

"In the beginning she was so bad it felt like her head was going to blow up,” said Sue who has been devotedly nursing her daughter through the illness.

Sue herself came down with a bug on Sunday, but she managed to shake it off within 24 hours.

“I started to get symptoms like headaches and really bad coughing and did think I was starting to get swine flu myself.

But thankfully it has passed off now almost as quickly as it came.

“I would also like to thank the doctors for all their expertise and care, they have been very good.”