British aid will help to vaccinate up to 360 million children against polio over the next 6 years, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced today, ahead of the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Polio is a debilitating and life threatening disease that has been successfully eradicated across the globe, saving millions of lives. It now remains prevalent in just 3 countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. UK support will help provide routine immunisations against polio to some of the most vulnerable and hard to reach groups of people.

British Army engineers are involved in a pioneering drilling project to bring clean water to thousands of people in Sierra Leone.

As a result of this project, fresh water will be delivered to more than 6,500 people where it is scarce and the threat of illnesses like cholera is high as people are forced to use water in contaminated rivers and puddles for drinking and cleaning.

Britain will provide lifesaving support for the millions of people who were hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, on the islands of Haiti and Cuba.

The UK aid will help save lives as well as reduce suffering in the aftermath of the tropical storm, Development Secretary Justine Greening said today.

The new humanitarian support will provide immediate help for 2 million people in Haiti and emergency shelter and relief to 20,000 people in Cuba.

The UK Government has activated its new rapid response network for the first time, to help two million people affected by the cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell has announced.

HEADLINES

More than a million people in Haiti have benefitted from British help following the earthquake

As recovery continues, we have targeted our aid to where it is making the most difference, with doctors and medical supplies helping those in need. Including:

• Funding 192 local doctors and over 700 support staff to provide treatment for cholera. The medical help meant none of the 23,000 patients treated died from the disease

(extract)

Executive summary

This extended report aims to provide a broad overview of the epidemiology and virology of the 2009 pandemic in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries (27 EU Member States (MS) and Norway and Iceland). Relevant background information on influenza epidemics and pandemics, notably their variability and unpredictability, is provided. The main trends and information are derived from the analysis and interpretation of the epidemiological and virological data and other

Human infection with new influenza A (H1N1) virus: clinical observations from a school-associated outbreak in Kobe, Japan, May 2009

As of 11 June 2009, 74 countries had reported to WHO a total of 28 774 laboratory- confirmed cases of new influenza A (H1N1) virus infection, including 144 deaths. The epidemic, which originated in the Region of the Americas, has spread to all WHO regions except the African Region. Japan was among the first countries to detect sporadic imported cases in Asia; New Zealand was the first country in the Western Pacific Region to
report cases.

- WHO declares first flu pandemic in 40 years

- Flu experts recommend move to phase 6

- Expected to urge finishing seasonal flu vaccine production

- Spread of virus in Australia triggered declaration

(Updates with Swedish confirmation of pandemic)

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, June 11 (Reuters) - The World Health Organisation declared the first flu pandemic of the 21st century on Thursday, Sweden's health ministry said.

The health ministry said the United Nations agency was raising its pandemic flu alert to the top phase 6 on a six-point

Five further patients under investigation in England have today been confirmed with swine flu bringing the current total number of confirmed UK cases to 11.

Testing of the swine flu virus is carried out by the Health Protection Agency's laboratories.

The three new confirmed cases in England are children from the West Midlands region - all returning travellers.

Region

Confirmed new cases for 22 May 2009

Total confirmed cases as at 22 May 2009