Infection experts on Olympic alert

Published on 04/07/2012 01:56

Infectious disease experts have declared they are “Games ready” ahead of the London Olympics.

As millions of people prepare to descend on the UK capital, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has implemented measures to ensure that potential diseases are spotted and addressed as quickly as possible.

Although the HPA expects a “slight” increased risk of illnesses such as stomach bugs and chest infections during the Games, it does not anticipate any serious infectious outbreaks.

The HPA plans to introduce quicker laboratory testing, meaning infections such as salmonella will be diagnosed within a day.

It will also monitor calls to NHS Direct and out-of-hours GPs and data from A&E departments. Experts will study symptom patterns to spot any infection outbreaks.