AN influenza pandemic co-ordinator has been appointed in Darlington to make plans in case of a possible global outbreak.

Darlington Primary Care Trust's (PCT) director of public health, Nonnie Crawford, has become the official co-ordinator, and is working with a host of health and other agencies on the possible local impact of a virulent strain of flu.

Health experts believe a flu pandemic is overdue - the last one was in 1968 and began in Hong Kong. They are also keeping a close eye on cases of bird flu which this year has claimed lives in Asia.

Dr Crawford said: "It is a cause for concern because it has the potential to be a bird virus that mixes with a human virus which could then cause significant illness."

National planning estimates that for a population of about 100,000, such as Darlington, a pandemic might see 25,000 or more people catch the flu, of which 2,500 would visit their doctors, 1,250 attend accident and emergency and a possible 140 be admitted to hospital - with up to 90 deaths.

"Until more is known about the exact nature of the pandemic virus, it is difficult to say exactly what the impact will be locally and the picture may change," Dr Crawford said.

"There are many questions about a pandemic which currently we don't have answers for but as more information becomes available I will be giving updated briefings."

Information is also being made available on a national website, www.dh.gov.uk/pan demicflu

Dr Crawford said she was working closely with the Health Protection Agency, regional directors of public health and other PCTs on plans for a pandemic.

This would include assessing the impact on the public and health staff, medicine and vaccine programmes and infection control measures.

"Infection control is the first line of defence," she said. "If people simply wash their hands and take protective action when they cough, sneeze or blow their noses, they can avoid catching all manner of diseases."