Swine Flu Parties Condemned

July 2nd 2009

People are throwing "swine flu parties" in a bid to contract the virus while it still mild, doctors have warned.

The report has come from Northern Ireland, which has only had 33 confirmed cases.

Local public health specialist Dr Colin Hamilton said the parties were not "a good idea".

He said: "The virus has only been known for two months and is still an unknown quantity. Our advice remains that people should avoid contracting it as much as possible until vaccines are produced.

"The idea of having a flu party is the complete opposite to this advice.

"Apparently healthy young people have died in Mexico and the USA from this virus and many children may have conditions unknown to their parents, which would make them especially vulnerable."

He urged people with suspected swine flu not to visit GP surgeries but to telephone the doctors.

The British total of confirmed swine flu cases yesterday rose to 6,929. Three deaths have been reported in the media.

In the USA 127 people have died and nearly 28,000 cases confirmed.

Globally the World Health Organisation reports some 77,201 confirmed cases and 332 confirmed deaths from the H1N1 flu.

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