NU Online News Service, April 28, 4:19 p.m. EDT

With an outbreak of the swine flu expanding in the United States and internationally, there are precautions organizations should consider, the Risk and Insurance Management Society said today.

The Center for Disease Control also today reported additional cases of swine flu and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients.

Internationally, the CDC said there are additional countries reporting confirmed cases. The World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to a Phase 4--characterized by person-to-person spread of a new influenza virus able to cause "community-level outbreaks." The increase in the pandemic alert phase, the CDC said, indicates the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.

RIMS' made these suggestions to risk managers:

o It may be prudent for companies to reconsider any nonessential business travel to known outbreak clusters of the disease, such as Mexico City.

o Businesses that have not already devised and rehearsed a business continuity plan should keep in mind the key elements of daily operations that are most likely to be impacted by a widespread swine flu outbreak. Consider widespread employee absenteeism, possible disruptions in third-party deliveries of goods and services, and also the inability to do business in flu-affected areas.

o Review your firm's insurance programs to determine the degree of coverage offered and if any restrictions apply. Workers' compensation as well as employee life and health policies are all on the front line when dealing with swine flu. Contact your insurance carrier or broker with any questions regarding current coverage.

o Take preventive measures especially for operations at risk, such as farms. Consider implementing a sick-day policy if one is already not in place. This can help keep ill employees from coming to work and infecting the rest of the workforce. (People typically are infectious for three to seven days once infected.)

o Stress the use of proper basic hygiene, such as avoiding hand-to-hand contact, washing hands, using a tissue or handkerchief when coughing or sneezing, and avoiding hand-face contact.

RIMS recommended that businesses stay on top of news updates and communicate regularly within their organization to keep personnel up to date on the facts, noting that rumor and wrong information can spread faster than any disease.

Insurance experts have said there is no business interruption insurance available to help businesses weather a severe outbreak that could disable their businesses. Life and health insurers could be affected by an increased death rate and use of the health care system. There could also be workers' compensation claims depending on the nature of the business, such as health care workers.

For more information on business continuity and pandemic resources, visit RIMS's Web site at www.rims.org.

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