Scotland bears the brunt of flu cases

Published on Wednesday 7 January 2009 20:57

CASES of flu are rising in Scotland, with rates now higher than in England, figures revealed yesterday.

Health Protection Scotland said for the week ending 2 January, there were 79 GP consultations for flu-like illness per 100,000 people – up from 73 the previous week and 20 at the start of December.

Figures for England and Wales show rates have now dropped to 51 per 100,000, down from 68.5 before Christmas.

Last year in Scotland flu cases hit 50 for just one week during the winter. A normal flu season is thought to begin when there are more than 50 cases per 100,000 people.

Dr Jim McMenamin, a consultant epidemiologist, said that flu cases could go up again next week as more people were able to access their GP after the break.

And he urged doctors to be on the lookout for cases of meningococcal disease – septicaemia and meningitis – that also rise during the winter flu season. In their early stages these illnesses have similar symptoms to flu.

"We may be talking about relatively small numbers every year – about 150 cases – but each individual case can be catastrophic for the family involved," he said.

Businesses are also concerned about the effects of rising flu cases.

Stuart Mackinnon, from the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland, said: "Sickness absence, in any shape or form, affects smaller businesses and organisations disproportionately."