UK PLANS MASS BURIALS FOR BIRD FLU VICTIMS
Mass burials could be held if the bird flu virus arrives in Britain and causes an epidemic among the human population, it is reported. A leaked assessment suggests more than 300,000 people could die in the UK if the H5N1 strain of the virus mutates into a human form. The Home Office document, acquired by The Sunday Times, talks about the "prudent worst case" of delays of up to 17 weeks in burying or cremating victims.
It warns that the prospect of "common burial" would stir up images of
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the mass pits used to bury victims of the Great Plague in 1665.
In practice, however, it "might involve a large number of coffins buried in the same place at the same time, in such a way that allowed for individual graves to be marked".
Town halls, the report suggests, could deal with what it terms a "base case" of 48,000 deaths in England and Wales in a 15-week pandemic.
But it adds: "Even with ramping local management capacity by 100%, the prudent worst case of 320,000 excess deaths is projected to lead to a delay of some 17 weeks from death to burial or cremation."
Should the outbreak kill 2.5% of those who contract the flu, it warns, "no matter what emergency arrangements are put in place there are likely to be substantially more deaths than can be managed within current timescales".
Titled Managing Excess Deaths In An Influenza Pandemic and dated March 22, the document says vaccines would not be available at least for "the first wave" of a pandemic.
The newspaper said it was discussed last week by a cabinet sub-committee chaired by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt.
It warns that the prospect of "common burial" would stir up images of
Advertisement
the mass pits used to bury victims of the Great Plague in 1665.
In practice, however, it "might involve a large number of coffins buried in the same place at the same time, in such a way that allowed for individual graves to be marked".
Town halls, the report suggests, could deal with what it terms a "base case" of 48,000 deaths in England and Wales in a 15-week pandemic.
But it adds: "Even with ramping local management capacity by 100%, the prudent worst case of 320,000 excess deaths is projected to lead to a delay of some 17 weeks from death to burial or cremation."
Should the outbreak kill 2.5% of those who contract the flu, it warns, "no matter what emergency arrangements are put in place there are likely to be substantially more deaths than can be managed within current timescales".
Titled Managing Excess Deaths In An Influenza Pandemic and dated March 22, the document says vaccines would not be available at least for "the first wave" of a pandemic.
The newspaper said it was discussed last week by a cabinet sub-committee chaired by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt.
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