Swine feaver pandemic could affect 4 in 10

Companies should review their contingency plans because of the escalating threat of a swine flu pandemic, Aon warns. The death toll in Mexico was 152 and 2,000 people had fallen sick as Insurance Times went to press on Tuesday.

Neil Ferguson, a member of the World Health Organisation taskforce tackling the virus, said it could infect 40% of the UK population over the next six months.

Alex Hindson, head of enterprise risk management at Aon Global Risk Consulting, said firms should prepare for staff absences.

Hindson said: “Health risks are unpredictable but given the possibility of a swine fever pandemic developing, organisations need to carefully review their business continuity management arrangements to protect their employees and ensure they have considered the potential for staff absence. Public transport systems and organisations could find themselves without key staff for protracted periods.”