Prisons still to gear up for bird flu pandemic

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Prisons still to gear up for bird flu pandemic

Infection rates of 20% feared By Deborah McAleese 15 April 2006

The Northern Ireland Prison Service has yet to finalise contingency

plans in the event of a bird flu pandemic - despite prisoners facing

a 90% increased rate of infection - it can be revealed today.

Just days after a swan tested positive for the deadly H5N1 virus in

Scotland, bringing the virus a step closer to the province, the

Prison Service today admitted that its emergency plans are still in

draft form, despite acknowledging the increased risks to prisoners

and staff six months ago.

Minutes from the Prison Service Management Board's monthly meeting in

October 2005 state that the main issue for the service, because it is

a closed community, is that the rate of infection increases to 90%.

A spokesman for the Prison Service today told the Belfast

Telegraph: " The contingency plans are still a work-in-progress so any

documents are therefore in draft form. "

However, the Prison Service said it has set up a working group to

build on existing plans which would immediately come into force

should a pandemic occur.

The Prison Service would not release the draft documents but it is

believed that emergency arrangements could include releasing non-

violent prisoners, ceasing all visits and ensuring immediate

vaccination against the H5NI virus - which has been responsible for

some 100 deaths in south east Asia.

Although experts have said the direct risk to humans from infected

wild birds is low there is still a fear that the virus, which has a

50% death rate in humans, could mutate into a form which is easily

passed from person to person. Because the Prison Service is a " closed-

community " any outbreak could spread rapidly.

The Prison Service said that the focus of its working group is to

explore a range of preventative measures as well as issues including

the healthcare of prisoners, visiting arrangements, managing

offenders in the community and other potential options.

A spokesman said: " The service is also liaising closely with our

colleagues in the prison services in England, Wales and Scotland to

share information and best practice. We are also represented in a

working group with our partners in the Criminal Justice sector to

develop an agency-wide response.

He added: " While there are no immediate concerns that a pandemic is

imminent, the Prison Service is aware of the need to have

arrangements in place to allow our prisons to run as effectively and

safely as possible in the event of an outbreak. The service has

recognised that good communications, with staff, prisoners, their

families, visitors and others must be an integral part of the

arrangements. "

The likelihood of bird flu hitting Ulster increased last week after a

dead swan found in the coastal village in Scotland tested positive

for H5N1. Experts are warning the swan in Fife may not be an isolated

case.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=687036