EU states gear up for possible flu pandemic

EUROPEAN Union states yesterday tested communications procedures in case of a public health emergency.

However, an EU health agency said there is little chance of an imminent bird flu pandemic and advised Europeans not to panic.

Europe’s emergency services will be tested over the coming months to discover just how prepared they are to deal with a human flu pandemic that could potentially hospitalise up to two million people and kill up to 500,000 in Europe.

Yesterday’s EU test followed the discovery on Monday of bird flu on a Greek Aegean island. Analysis continued yesterday on samples from an infected turkey to establish whether it was the H5N1 strain that can be fatal for humans. The results of tests are expected to be known today. Romania and Turkey have confirmed outbreaks.

The European Commission’s health spokesman said the bloc’s 25 member states had carried out an exercise “designed to test the security of communications of our European networks in case of a major public health emergency”.

Health Ministers, including Mary Harney, are meeting in Britain today to discuss how essential services including healthcare, transport, energy and education will cope if huge numbers become ill.

All countries are updating their national plans which include laying in stocks of ordinary flu vaccine and ensuring hospitals can cope with an influx of seriously ill people.

Ireland’s plan, prepared three years ago, is being updated and enough anti-viral drugs to vaccinate a million people are on order, though just 60% will be in stock by the end of the year.

A commission spokes-person would not say yesterday how well Ireland was prepared compared with other EU member states, but said no country was yet as prepared as the union would like. Any flaws in the plans should be exposed by the exercises that will be sprung on countries without prior warning over the next two months.

European Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said: “Experts tell us that a human influenza pandemic is a real possibility, which could happen at any time in the coming years.”

He said member states’ preparedness against a flu pandemic has improved over the last six months.

The two-day EU-wide exercise will simulate a flu pandemic and test just how prepared the public services are to deal with it. Those involved will not leave their desks or command posts.

National plans will also be discussed at an EU-World Health Organisation expert conference in Copenhagen next week.

Ireland’s plan was prepared in 2002 and the Health Department updated it in recent weeks. It says that between 10,000 to 26,000 could be hospitalised with between 500 and 10,000 deaths, depending on numbers infected.

The commission is urging member states to put in advance orders for a vaccination against the new avian flu though it cannot be made until the human strain is fully developed.