Hospitals and other health institutions in the Netherlands must have clear plans ready by the end of August to cope with a possible large-scale outbreak of Mexican flu caused by the H1N1 virus. In the health sector, such an outbreak could affect 30 to 50 percent of the staff, a higher proportion than in other sectors.

Minister of Health Ab Klink has written to health institutions pointing out that in such a scenario, health care would come under serious strain, and they must have a plan ready to protect their staff from being overworked as well as from the virus itself.

This autumn, if Mexican flu becomes widespread as expected, the Netherlands Health Care Inspectorate will monitor whether the healthcare sector has done enough to ensure that it can continue to provide adequate patient care.