Swine flu total in Wales hits 50

Health officials say they have "robust plans" to deal with swine flu

At total of 50 people have now been diagnosed with swine flu in Wales.

Health officials have confirmed eight new cases, including a 15-year-old boy from Cardiff who has been linked to cases in Somerset.

There are also 28 "clinically presumed" cases of swine flu - household contacts of confirmed cases presumed to have the virus because of their symptoms.

So far 274 people have been under investigation for swine flu in Wales, with 11 still under investigation.

Public health officials have said they expected the number of cases in Wales to rise but people should not be alarmed.

Among the latest cases are a 21-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman, both from Cardiff, who are linked to the spread of the virus in Australia.

Others include a 21-year-old man, a 56-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, all from Newport.

HYGIENE ADVICE

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue where possible

Dispose of tissues promptly and carefully

Wash hands frequently with soap and water

Clean hard surfaces such as door handles regularly with a normal cleaning product

Help your children to follow hygiene advice

Source: National Public Health Service for Wales/Welsh Assembly Government

There are now more than 7,500 laboratory confirmed cases in the UK: 50 in Wales, 6,162 in England, 1,325 in Scotland and 43 in Northern Ireland.

Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Tony Jewell, said: "We knew that there would be an increase in the number of cases and we have robust plans in place to deal with it.

"Scientific advice now is that there will continue to be a rise in the number of cases across the UK and, knowing the infection is circulating we should move to treatment rather than trying to slow the spread of disease.

"We will now rely on clinical symptoms for diagnosing the illness rather than laboratory tests. Some patients will still be tested as part of our monitoring to get more information about the virus."

Four people in the UK with swine flu have died. All had underlying health conditions.

NHS Direct can be contacted on 0845 46 47.