Mayor Boris Johnson has tried to steady Londoners nerves, urging people not to wear surgical face masks.

The first confirmed case of the disease hit the capital yesterday, a 22-year-old man from Barnet. Four other cases have been confirmed in the UK and all are responding well to treatment.

40% of the population could be infected.

Earlier in the week the government started a scramble for masks when it realised the NHS did not have enough for everyone in the country - ordering 32 million of them.

Only medical staff needs masks

During a television interview to marking his first year in office, the Mayor insisted only medical staff needed the masks and they have to be within one meter of an infected person for it to be effective.

Speaking to BBC London last night, he said that London is "considerably better prepared today than we were with the bird flu scare a few years ago" and "tried and tested" methods were in place to combat the threat of any outbreak".

£1 million City Hall Tamilu stocks donated

Earlier in the week city Hall announced it was giving away a £1 million stockpile of antiviral agent Tamiflu, bought by previous Mayor Ken Livingstone.

Central government are increasing stocks of Tamiflu to 50 million - currently only half the country could be treated.
 
Britain will see "many, many more cases" of swine flu but most of those affected will recover, the government's chief medical adviser has said.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said a public health campaign will start tomorrow, with newspapers, television and radio carrying adverts warning people about swine flu.

The pandemic alert level of the World Health Organisation has been raised to phase five of six amid the outbreak of swine flu.