Swine flu cases - update
Four students on a summer leadership programme at the University have been confirmed as having swine flu. As a precautionary measure, the sponsors have cancelled the programme.
In conjunction with the University, the Health Protection Agency and the local NHS primary healthcare trust have carried out a full risk assessment. They have advised us that we should continue with 'business as usual'. The main points from the assessment are:
- As a precaution, all students and staff directly involved with the Leeds Leadership Programme are being offered antiviral medication.
- There is no evidence of any wider spread of the virus, and the health authorities have advised us that students and staff not involved with the Programme do not need antiviral medication.
- It is, however, good practice to follow the simple hygiene rules issued by the NHS (see links to further information below)
- In general, individuals are infectious only when they are displaying the symptoms of flu (see our mini site for details).
Information about swine flu is available from our mini-site. In brief, the advice for anyone with flu symptoms is to stay at home and contact NHS Direct or their GP by telephone.
As with all communicable diseases (for example, meningitis), any confirmed case of swine flu in the University should be reported to the University Secretary's office (Tel: 0113 34 34011; Email: j.r.gair@leeds.ac.uk - or via Security out of office hours (Tel: 0113 34 5494).
Advice for heads of schools and services on dealing with any confirmed or suspected case of swine flu is available from David Wardle in the Secretariat (Tel: 0113 34 34452; Email: d.wardle@adm.leeds.ac.uk).
We are working closely with the Health Protection Agency and the NHS to monitor the situation, and will issue further bulletins and advice as necessary.