British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday that the country's health authorities are doing everything in their power to minimize the impact of swine flu.

Brown made the remarks when he updated the House of Commons on the swine flu situation on Wednesday. He noted that Britain is among the best prepared countries in the world.

He said leaflets would be sent to every household in the country over the next few days. The leaflets will contain advice which is already available on government websites about the basic steps people can take to avoid infection.

A total of five swine flu cases have been confirmed in Britain following the outbreak in Mexico where some 160 people have died from the H1N1 strain. All cases being investigated in Britain so far concerned people who have traveled from Mexico. The government is advising people not to travel to and from Mexico for anything other than urgent business.

"We are taking the preparations that are necessary and the precautions to prevent the advances of this disease in this country. I can confirm that we have enhanced airport checks. I also confirm that we are advising people not to travel to Mexico unless necessary," he added.

Brown said Britain now holds stockpiles of antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza which have proved effective against the new strain of virus. The government also plans to increase the current stockpile of antiviral drugs from 33 million to 50 million as a precaution.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)