Castel Hospital.

PATIENTS and staff at Castel Hospital have been tested for swine flu.

Five cases of a flu-like illness have been reported in the hospital over the past three days. All patients and staff, including those who are not ill, have been offered medicine as a precaution to contain the virus.

Public health director Dr Stephen Bridgman said it was no surprise to encounter such an outbreak. ‘We know we currently have a lot of flu-like illnesses, and the H1N1 strain of flu, circulating in our community.

‘For such an incident as this, we have instigated procedures as if the outbreak was swine flu,’ he said.

Guernsey has so far had 10 confirmed cases, but many more are suspected but not confirmed.

National media reports say up to 90m. doses of the vaccine, which is still under development, are expected to arrive in Britain in the next few weeks. It was announced at the weekend that the entire population of the UK would be vaccinated and Health and Social Services is due to discuss that move today.

Deputy medical officer of health Brian Parkin said Guernsey might decide to follow suit. ‘If we had adequate supplies, I don’t think our ability to [administer vaccinations] would be a problem. Our biggest issue is that there isn’t a vaccine at the moment,’ he said.