Swine flu: Experts rethink use of tamiflu
The spread of swine flu can no longer be contained in the West Midlands, health officials have declared.
As the number of people suffering from the virus was expected to leap this week, it was also revealed that anti-viral drug tamiflu will no longer be given to patients as a matter of course.
Yesterday, a further 55 people from the region were confirmed as having the disease, but from today patients will no longer be given routine swab tests if they present symptoms.
If they do show signs of the virus and have been in prolonged contact with a confirmed case, officials will diagnose them with the disease rather than awaiting test results from a laboratory.
The new diagnosis guidelines are likely to see a large jump in the number of cases.
Patients confirmed with the disease will continue to receive tamiflu, but from now on only high-risk groups, including close school contacts, will be offered the treatment.
A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency said: “This is because in these areas we have good evidence of significant levels of transmission of swine flu.
