NHS officials in the region last night sought to reassure the public after the Government warned there could be 100,000 new swine flu cases a day in Britain by the end of next month.

Under emergency plans being drawn up by regional health chiefs, recently-retired doctors and nurses would be called in to help.

Routine operations could be cancelled to allow medical staff to treat flu victims.

Thousands of anti-viral drug Tamiflu courses have been stockpiled, while distribution centres have been organised to hand out the medication day and night to “flu friends” collecting on behalf of sufferers.

Staff who would work at the centres, which are likely to be guarded, have received training in dealing with “distressed”

people.

Schools and police stations have been identified as possible distribution points. People will be able to pick up medication for a victim by using a registration number.

The Government’s emergency planning committee Cobra will take the final decision on when to distribute Tamiflu. Lorry-loads of the drugs will be sent to distribution points from a warehouse at a secret location.

Last night, there were 7,447 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK.

Two new cases were confirmed in the North-East yesterday, bringing the region’s total to 47.

In Yorkshire and Humber there have been 143 cases, including three more yesterday.

While the region has not had the number of cases seen elsewhere in the country, experts predict there could be big rises in coming months.

Professor Peter Kelly, director of public health for Teesside, said the four primary care trusts under his control had “masses” of anti-viral drugs.

“I can understand that people would be alarmed by the figures – but there’s no need at all,” he said. “Teesside has detailed plans on how it would cope with increased demand.

“We’ve got enough for 100,000 courses of treatment.

If we run out the Department for Health will send us more.”

He said NHS staff had visited Birmingham to learn how they were coping with higher levels of infection.

Martin Wilson, director of flu resilience at NHS North-East, said: “We have robust plans in place with all primary care trusts to ensure the effective and timely roll-out of anti-viral collection points and we are continuing to refine our well-established plans as the situation develops.”

Dr Peter Brambleby, director of public health at NHS North Yorkshire and York, said: “We expect a rise, but we are ready. This is still mild flu and most cased will be managed from home.”

The doctor said that people with mild symptoms might not receive medication.

In North Yorkshire, 23 daytime anti-viral distribution centres have been set up, and nine out-of-hours centres.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said the UK had moved past the stage of containing the outbreak and was now in the “treatment phase”.

“Cases are doubling every week, and on this trend we could see more than 100,000 cases per day by the end of August,” he said.

Under the new treatment phase, efforts to trace people who have been in contact with swine flu cases will stop, and schools will not close when hit by the virus.

To date, there have been 7,447 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK and three deaths – a very low mortality rate.

The Government’s chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said the disease was “following a predictable path”, but refused to give an expected mortality rate.

“It isn’t out of control, but flu viruses cannot be put back in their box once they are out,” added Prof Donaldson.

He said a vaccine was at an advanced stage of production and enough had been ordered for the entire population.

Officials say the first shots will become available next month, with enough jabs for 30 million people by the end of the year.

Scientists believe people will need two jabs to be protected.

However, Prof Donaldson said that advice applied to a possible bird flu pandemic. It is possible only one jab will be required to protect against swine flu.