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Swine flu forces closure of wards at Leicester Royal Infirmary

An outbreak of swine flu reported in cancer wards of the Leicester Royal Infirmary.

16 cancer patients have been diagnosed with swine flu at Leicester's Royal Infirmary leading to the closure of three wards there.

The hospital sources say, patients suffering swine flu, have now been isolated to avoid an outbreak.

"Sixteen patients on three hematology wards at the Leicester Royal Infirmary have developed symptoms that have been confirmed as flu”, Liz Collins, lead nurse for infection prevention said.

Another three people with flu are being treated at Glenfield Hospital but it is still unclear if these are the swine flu cases. They are reportedly receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation- a treatment for those with severe heart or lung problems.

Leicester's Royal Infirmary closed after swine flu outbreak.

A total 31 outbreaks of swine flu were reported in the UK since last week.

Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by the influenza type A virus known as H1N1. It can be spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing. Symptoms in humans are similar to those in seasonal flu but some people have also reported nausea and diarrhea.

In 2009, Swine flu caused chaos worldwide after the virus contracted by people from animal. Since then things have calmed down despite other types of flu usually occurring during the winter.

Concerns grow that the latest virus symptom in cancer patients can weaken their immune system, making it harder to fight infection.

 


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