Health Bulletin

India sees rapid rise in swine flu cases

India has seen a sharp rise in the number of swine flu deaths and reported cases this year, prompting officials to investigate the cause and step up efforts to combat the virus.
The H1N1 virus caused 485 deaths in India between Jan. 1 and Feb. 12, additional health secretary Arun Kumar Panda informed, according to reporters of Reuters. He said more than 6,000 people had tested positive for the virus during that time.
"It is a matter of worry, but not a matter of panic," said a health ministry official, who did not wish to be named.

'No alcohol in early pregnancy' call

Women trying for a baby and those in the first three months of pregnancy should not drink any alcohol, updated UK guidelines say. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) had previously said a couple of glasses of wine a week was acceptable.
It now says abstinence is the only way to be certain that the baby is not harmed. There is no proven safe amount that women can drink during pregnancy. The updated advice now chimes with guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
In the US, experts say there is no safe time to drink during pregnancy.