40 more swine flu cases confirmed in Scotland

Published on Tuesday 23 June 2009 17:25

A FURTHER 40 people in Scotland were diagnosed with swine flu today. It takes the total across the country to 686, with four people being treated in hospital for the virus.

The new cases come as Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy rejected calls for Westminster to foot a 100 million bill for vaccinating everyone in Scotland against the virus.

The bulk of the new cases are in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area which has seen 34 new victims, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said.

Two people are infected in the Lanarkshire health board area, two victims are in Lothian, one is in Tayside and one is in Ayrshire and Arran.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The spread of the H1N1 virus is not unexpected and mirrors in Scotland what has been seen in the rest of the UK and many other parts of the world.

"Our preparations for dealing with the H1N1 outbreak are among the best worldwide and we are focused on working closely with our public health colleagues across the NHS to limit the spread of the outbreak."

Of the latest cases, 39 are non travel-related and one is travel-related.

One person in Highland previously confirmed as being infected has been reclassified as being negative.

The majority of cases are not causing "major clinical concern" for those affected, Ms Sturgeon said.

Mr Murphy rejected Ms Sturgeon's assertion that the Treasury should cover the "contingency" funding.

He said Ms Sturgeon and health agencies are "doing a good job", but added: "Where I disagree is that Scotland should have additional money over and above anywhere else in the United Kingdom.

"The health service in Scotland has to be treated in the same way that the health service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are.

"I think Nicola's got to be careful that she isn't seen to be playing politics with this issue. I don't think she intends to but I think there's an element of that creeping in."

On Sunday Ms Sturgeon argued that mass vaccination is in line with policy across the UK and should be paid for by the Treasury.

"We think it's right the UK contingency funding should be available, as it was for example during the foot and mouth outbreak," she said.

Earlier today Ms Sturgeon said she saw first-hand how health workers are coping with the swine flu outbreak when she visited Health Protection Scotland's headquarters, where she was shown the emergency response arrangements.

"Scotland's public health teams have been instrumental in our bid to slow the spread of H1N1," she said.

"This Government has been working hard to make sure that as a country we are as fully prepared as possible to deal with what lies ahead.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank our healthcare workers for their excellent response so far."