A BOURNEMOUTH company has been deluged with orders for thermometers and antibacterial hand gels because of the swine flu pandemic.

Ceuta Healthcare has sold out of some types of thermometer, and says it has sent out 27,000 in the UK over the last fortnight alone.

It believes the increase in sales is mainly due to the NHS’s swine flu website, which encourages people who think they may have the illness to check their temperature. Symptoms of swine flu include a sudden fever and cough.

People in the UK are also being advised to observe good hygiene with the “catch it, kill it, bin it” campaign and frequent hand washing to combat the spread of infection.

Ceuta is the Europe’s leading outsourcing company in the health and beauty industry. Deputy managing director Annette D’Abreo said: “We have been overwhelmed with the demand for thermometers and hand gels.

“People don’t seem to have digital thermometers at home, or they have the old mercury thermometers. We are currently shipping in more products in order to meet a further anticipated surge in demand in the autumn.”

Meanwhile, the Health Protection Agency says the number of cases of swine flu in England has fallen. In the south-west region, which includes Dorset, they peaked in the third week of July.

The HPA says most cases continue to be mild. There is also no sign that the virus is changing, becoming more severe, or developing resistance to anti-viral drugs.

As of Wednesday morning, 530 swine flu patients had been hospitalised and 36 people with swine flu had died, although not necessarily of the disease.

For latest Swine Flu news and information visit bournemouthecho.co.uk/swine_flu