2009 swine flu pandemic in the United Kingdom

"Flu pandemic in the United Kingdom" redirects here. For other flu pandemics, see Flu pandemic § Influenza pandemics.
Further information: 2009 flu pandemic by country

Main article: 2009 flu pandemic
2009 swine flu pandemic in the UK
DiseaseSwine flu
Virus strainH1N1
First outbreakNorth America, possibly Central Mexico[1]
Arrival date27 April 2009 (First cases in Scotland)[2]
Confirmed casesPossible 100,000+ cases (As of January 2010)
Deaths
392 (28 January 2010)
Government website
Health Protection Agency (HPA)[2]
* Data from Health Protection Agency[2]

The 2009 swine flu pandemic was a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, first identified in April 2009, termed Pandemic H1N1/09 virus by the World Health Organization (WHO)[3] and colloquially called swine flu. The outbreak was first observed in Mexico,[1][4] and quickly spread globally. On 11 June 2009, the WHO declared the outbreak to be a pandemic.[5][6] The overwhelming majority of patients experienced mild symptoms,[5] but some persons were in higher risk groups, such as those with asthma, diabetes,[7][8] obesity, heart disease, who were pregnant or had a weakened immune system.[9] In the rare severe cases, around 3–5 days after symptoms manifest, the sufferer's condition declines quickly, often to the point of respiratory failure.[10]

The virus reached the United Kingdom in April 2009.[11] The first cases were confirmed on 27 April 2009 in passengers returning from Mexico. The first case of person to person transmission within the UK was announced on 1 May 2009.[12] In the UK, 5- to 14-year-olds were the age group predominantly affected.[13] Laboratory tests demonstrated that older people had some immunity.[14]

After a slow start, the virus spread rapidly in the UK in July 2009, with new cases peaking at 110,000 in the last week of that month, according to The Health Protection Agency's modelling estimate, but declining sharply in the first week of August 2009.[2][15] Cases fell progressively down to 3,000 in the first week of September 2009, then began to rise again.[2] The decline in cases during the summer had been predicted, but a large surge was expected in the autumn to coincide with the normal flu season.[15] Cases rose to 84,000 by the end of October, well below the summer's peak, and then declined during November.[2]

UK 2009 Swine Flu cases per week.
Health Protection Agency modelling[16]
  1. ^ a b McNeil Jr., Donald G. (26 April 2009). "Flu Outbreak Raises a Set of Questions". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Swine Influenza (Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza)". Health Protection Agency. 28 September 2009. Archived from the original on 19 November 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  3. ^ "Transcript of virtual press conference with Dr Keiji Fukuda, Assistant Director-General ad Interim for Health Security and Environment, World Health Organization" (PDF). World Health Organization. 7 July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 December 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  4. ^ Maria Zampaglione (29 April 2009). "A/H1N1 influenza like human illness in Mexico and the USA: OIE statement" (Press release). World Organisation for Animal Health. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  5. ^ a b Chan, Dr. Margaret (11 June 2009). "World now at the start of 2009 influenza pandemic". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on 22 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  6. ^ "UK National Institute for Medical Research WHO World Influenza Centre: Emergence and spread of a new influenza A (H1N1) virus, 12 June 09". Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  7. ^ "Diabetes and the Flu". U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Archived from the original on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  8. ^ Division of Diabetes Translation (14 October 2009). "CDC's Diabetes Program – News & Information – H1N1 Flu". Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Archived from the original on 23 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  9. ^ Hartocollis, Anemona (27 May 2009). "'Underlying conditions' may add to flu worries". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  10. ^ "Clinical features of severe cases of pandemic influenza". Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. 16 October 2009. Archived from the original on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  11. ^ Dominic Rushe (3 May 2009). "Swine flu by another name isn't so catchy". The Sunday Times. UK. Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 4 May 2009. Sadly I don't think this name change is going to stick. Flu epidemics used to get named after their country of origin. Mexico has so far been unbelievably lucky in its attempts to dodge this one. The Israelis tried to pass the name back last week – they don't like the swine appellation either. But they soon backed off after a furious Mexican response. Nobody worried about the effect on tourism or pig sales when the Spanish flu killed more than 50m people in 1918.
  12. ^ HPA. "First case of onward human to human swine flu transmission in England confirmed". Archived from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
  13. ^ "Weekly pandemic flu update". Health Protection Agency. 9 July 2009. Archived from the original on 13 July 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference CIDRAP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b "Big drop in new swine flu cases". BBC News. BBC. 6 August 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  16. ^ "2009 Press Releases". Health Protection Agency. 24 December 2009. Archived from the original on 24 December 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2009.