Swine flu: Let's work together - says Bill Newton Dunn

10.13.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Sep 2009

The first case of H1N1 inside the European parliament was confirmed on Monday. The medical centre is planning for a peak of cases in the second half of October when 20 per cent of staff could be absent from work. East Midlands Lib Dem MEP Bill Newton Dunn says that this must be the catalyst to bring the EU members together in a single and co-coordinated plan of action without delay

''I attended a briefing by a Dutch expert. He complained that "It is the same virus everywhere, but there are 27 separate uncoordinated national plans for dealing with it. There should be a single European centre, as there is the CDC in the USA. () but Europe's national capitals are unwilling to share their powers. The leaders of the individual member states must take the lead on this and instruct their individual teams to work together now. for the good of everyone throughout the community''

Related Link:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.