Swine flu 'could strain hospital'

Jersey's General Hospital is preparing for an increase in patients

Jersey could face a "very dangerous situation" if faced with a large number of very ill swine flu patients, according to a doctor in the island.

Dr Andrew Luksza, a respiratory medicine consultant, said: "If we experience high numbers of cases resources will be strained."

Extra specialist equipment has been installed at the General Hospital to help with an expected rise in patients.

The hospital has bought 10 ventilators for patients with breathing problems.

Dr Luksza said: "In normal times we can transfer critically ill patients to other intensive care units in the mainland.

"However, a pandemic situation would make it unlikely that we'd find empty beds anywhere in the UK."

School vaccinations

Doctors and nurses in Jersey have had extra training to use the new non-invasive ventilators, and a statement from the health department said the hospital was ready for an increase in patients with serious health complications from catching swine flu.

Dr Rosemary Geller, the island's medical officer of health, said: "We're already seeing increases in swine flu locally and it's only a matter of time until we start to see hospital admissions."

A vaccination programme in Jersey's schools begins in primary and nursery schools on Wednesday.

Dr Geller said: "I anticipate that the vaccination programme in schools will protect children and reduce the number of people developing serious complications as a result of catching swine flu."

There have been 210 confirmed cases of the virus in the island.