BREXIT BLOW TO 19,000 NHS STAFF
SCIENTISTS fear that a bird flu pandemic worse than the 2009 swine flu outbreak could be heading our way.
And Britain is making no preparations for a vaccine to prevent it, says Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth.
He blasted: “The Government need to take every possible precaution to prepare the country for possible pandemics.
“Given the severity of these warnings, the Government ought to say what measures they are taking to improve our preparedness to deal with an outbreak.”
More than 1,300 cases of bird flu have been reported, mostly in China.
Of those infected, 476 have died – a mortality rate of more than one in three. There have also been outbreaks in Egypt, Indonesia and Vietnam, and two cases in Canada of people travelling from China.
The virus, known as H7N9, has so far only been caught by humans from birds or a close family member who is infected. But scientists monitoring the virus say that it is only two mutations away from widespread human-to-human transmission.
The H7N9 virus has already mutated once this year, so that it kills birds faster. The worry is two more would allow the virus to bind with human cells.
A warning in New Scientist magazine says: “If the virus evolves the ability to spread between humans easily, it will go pandemic and circle the world in weeks.”
Flu experts say if that happens it is likely to be worse than the H1N1 swine flu pandemic that swept Britain eight years ago.
They are concerned it could rival the pandemic of 1918, in which a strain of bird flu killed up to 100 million people worldwide. The 2009 swine flu outbreak in the he UK hit 800,000 people and caused aused more than 280 deaths.
Researchersrs want to carry out tests on ferrets, which catch flu-like humans, to see how the viruss might mutate to enable transmissionnsmission between people. But they are forbidden from doinging so over fears the mutations ations fall into thee hands of terrorists. MORE than 19,000 NHS workers from EU countries face being thrown out under Theresa May’s Brexit plans.
They include 2,200 doctors and 5,000 nurses who arrived last year alone, according to NHS Digital figures.
The PM has told EU leaders she will give “UK settled status” to those who have been in Britain five years.
That is expected to protect EU medics who came to work here before April 2014.
But there is no such safeguard for any who arrived after that. And because Mrs May will not say when the clock starts ticking, they Ron Fouchier, of the Erasmus Medical Centre in Holland, said: “Without animal infection studies we can only speculate on what might happen.” H7N9 has now taken over from H5N6, which resulted in tens of millions of birds being culled across Asia. It is now the most prevalent strain of bird flu. Dr Tim Uyeki of the US Centers for Disease Control said: “The surge in numbers of human H7N9 cases in China is definitely a concern.” The center added: “There is no evidence of sustained person-to-person spread. But it is possible this virus could gain the ability to spread among pe people, triggering a global outbrea outbreak.” A Public H Health England spokeswoma spokeswoman said vaccine research is be being carried out in the US and by the World Health Organisation. She added: ““But Public Health England are no not involved.” A PHE repor report in March said the risk was low but a added: “This large peak in casesca does warrant care careful and continued mo monitoring.” face an uncertain future and would need work permits or be sent home.
Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: “NHS staff from Europe who only arrived recently won’t see their rights fully guaranteed. Theresa May’s heartless approach is risking a catastrophic exodus of nurses and doctors the NHS relies on.”
The offer for EU nationals to stay is dependent on UK citizens living abroad getting a reciprocal deal from other EU states.
Meanwhile, Liam Fox is turning to developing countries to make up for lost EU trade. The International Trade Secretary is guaranteeing duty-free access to UK markets to 48 countries including Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, Haiti and Ethiopia.
Dr Fox is also trying to do new trade deals with Jamaica, Pakistan and Ghana.
He said: “This shows our commitment to helping developing countries grow their economies and reduce poverty through trade.”
International Development Secretary Priti Patel added: “We’re not only creating future trade partners but supporting jobs at home.”
She is spending £18million over six years to support countries that produce two million Fairtrade bananas for Britain a year.