Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the current outbreak of influenza.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyTwo small groups of cases of influenza without evidence of local spread were reported in Southern England during November. This month there has been a sharp increase in illness of an influenzal type in South East England. Localised influenza has been reported in other parts of England and in residential institutions.
Reports from the Royal College of General Practitioners show a fourfold rise in conditions diagnosed as influenza in certain practices in England during the week beginning 3rd December, 1969, compared with the previous week.
367WDeaths attributed to influenza and influenzal pneumonia have risen from four for the week ended 28th November to 10 the following week but are low for the time of year and less than half the total for the corresponding period last year. Deaths ascribed to pneumonia and bronchitis have risen to 920 and 658 respectively for the week ended 5th December, 1969, compared with 755 and 524 respectively for the previous week, and are above the figures for the corresponding week last year, to which cold weather may have contributed.
New claims to sickness benefit have shown a steady rise during the past four weeks but are slightly below the figures for the corresponding period last year. The total for the week ended 2nd December is 215,245 compared with 217,970 for the corresponding week a year ago. There are some local areas in which the figures increased sharply in the following week.
Strains of influenza virus so far isolated have all belonged to the Hong Kong variant of influenza virus A2, similar in type to strains encountered in this country last winter.
Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors and nurses have been affected by the current outbreak of influenza; and if he will now take steps to make influenza vaccine available to all hospital and medical staff in order to strengthen the ability of the medical services to deal with the outbreak.
§ Dr. John DunwoodyI regret that the information requested is not available. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recently reaffirmed its previous advice that the use of influenza vaccine, though not recommended as a means of controlling the spread of an outbreak, may be indicated for certain groups, including nurses and doctors at special risk because of their contact with patients. General practitioners, medical officers of health and hospital boards were informed accordingly by the Department's Chief Medical Officer on 7th November. Adequate supplies of vaccine were then available for all nurses and doctors, but vaccination now when infection is already occurring in an area is unlikely to be effective.