Health challenge “unquantifiable’

THE health challenge posed by swine flu was “unquantifiable” EU health ministers were warned as Europe’s first human-to-human case was confirmed.

The number of confirmed cases in Europe grew rapidly yesterday, with about 19 new cases in 24 hours and a probable case in Ireland. Last night there were 23 confirmed cases in eight EU countries with no deaths so far. Health Minister Mary Harney broke the news to her colleagues at the emergency meeting in Luxembourg yesterday that Ireland had confirmed its first probable case of swine flu.

But the revelation that one of the 10 cases in Spain was of a person who contracted the virus from another family member has increased the likelihood of a global pandemic.