Swine flu is back: Virus has killed 10 in the
last six weeks and its spreading to Europe
By Rob Cooper
Last updated at 1:18 PM on 11th December 2010
Treatment: A patient is given a H1N1 swine flu vaccination
<--- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...u-Virus-killed-10-weeks-spreading-Europe.html
The swine flu virus which swept across Britain last year is back and has killed 10 adults in the last six weeks, it emerged today.
Some of the people who have died did not have underlying health conditions when they were hit by the illness.
A father-of-three, aged in his 30s, was on a life support machine today after being struck down by the H1N1 virus.
The Royal Mail worker was being treated at Southport and Formby District General Hospital, Merseyside, and was expected to be moved for specialist treatment.
This winter swine flu has travelled to other European countries who are seeing outbreaks of the virus for the first time.
The 10 people who have died were all adults under 65 and most, but not all, had some underlying health conditions, the Health Protection Agency said.
Experts today expressed surprise at the number of deaths caused by the H1N1 virus this winter.
But crucially the bug has not mutated into a more severe form or targeted the elderly who are most at risk from the virus.
However there have been a significant number of calls to NHS Direct - indicating there is quite a lot of swine flu around.
More...
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Doctor John Watson, head of respiratory diseases at the Health Protection Agency said: 'We seem to be in the vanguard on this. Other European countries are just beginning to see some H1N1 activity.
Swine flu: Pregnant Denise Murray who was killed by the bug in Scotland last year
'I am a little surprised to see as much activity as we seem to be seeing - both in terms of its spread in the community and its severity.
'I don't see it as being extraordinary but it is more than I would have expected.'
He added that that many people caught swine flu in the pandemic in the summer last year - but relatively few were affected.
There was a second smaller outbreak just before Christmas.
'A lot of people were infected through the two waves of the last pandemic. We estimate something like two thirds of children and half of adults are likely to have been infected even though they may have had no symptoms,' he said.
'We wouldn't anticipate a big epidemic wave of flu activity due to H1N1 this year. But there are still a substantial number of people who remain susceptible.'
There were 494 deaths from swine flu in Britain between the initial outbreak and April this year.
The number of people getting immunised against flu has fallen this winter - with 66 per cent of pensioners and 40 per cent of at risk adults getting the jab.
Professor David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Department of Health, told the Independent: 'These figures demonstrate the effects of fly are not to be underestimated It is not the same as getting a cold and can seriously affect your health.
'The seasonal flu jab protects against the dominant strains - this year it protects against three types of flu, including the type known as swine flu.
'If you are in a risk group, then I would urge you to visit your GP surgery and get the vaccination as soon as possible. It is not too late to get vaccinated for your protection and that of your family.'
last six weeks and its spreading to Europe
By Rob Cooper
Last updated at 1:18 PM on 11th December 2010
Treatment: A patient is given a H1N1 swine flu vaccination
<--- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...u-Virus-killed-10-weeks-spreading-Europe.html
The swine flu virus which swept across Britain last year is back and has killed 10 adults in the last six weeks, it emerged today.
Some of the people who have died did not have underlying health conditions when they were hit by the illness.
A father-of-three, aged in his 30s, was on a life support machine today after being struck down by the H1N1 virus.
The Royal Mail worker was being treated at Southport and Formby District General Hospital, Merseyside, and was expected to be moved for specialist treatment.
This winter swine flu has travelled to other European countries who are seeing outbreaks of the virus for the first time.
The 10 people who have died were all adults under 65 and most, but not all, had some underlying health conditions, the Health Protection Agency said.
Experts today expressed surprise at the number of deaths caused by the H1N1 virus this winter.
But crucially the bug has not mutated into a more severe form or targeted the elderly who are most at risk from the virus.
However there have been a significant number of calls to NHS Direct - indicating there is quite a lot of swine flu around.
More...
Norovirus cases soar as hospital outbreaks increase by 50 per cent in a month
Doctor John Watson, head of respiratory diseases at the Health Protection Agency said: 'We seem to be in the vanguard on this. Other European countries are just beginning to see some H1N1 activity.
Swine flu: Pregnant Denise Murray who was killed by the bug in Scotland last year
'I am a little surprised to see as much activity as we seem to be seeing - both in terms of its spread in the community and its severity.
'I don't see it as being extraordinary but it is more than I would have expected.'
He added that that many people caught swine flu in the pandemic in the summer last year - but relatively few were affected.
There was a second smaller outbreak just before Christmas.
'A lot of people were infected through the two waves of the last pandemic. We estimate something like two thirds of children and half of adults are likely to have been infected even though they may have had no symptoms,' he said.
'We wouldn't anticipate a big epidemic wave of flu activity due to H1N1 this year. But there are still a substantial number of people who remain susceptible.'
There were 494 deaths from swine flu in Britain between the initial outbreak and April this year.
The number of people getting immunised against flu has fallen this winter - with 66 per cent of pensioners and 40 per cent of at risk adults getting the jab.
Professor David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Department of Health, told the Independent: 'These figures demonstrate the effects of fly are not to be underestimated It is not the same as getting a cold and can seriously affect your health.
'The seasonal flu jab protects against the dominant strains - this year it protects against three types of flu, including the type known as swine flu.
'If you are in a risk group, then I would urge you to visit your GP surgery and get the vaccination as soon as possible. It is not too late to get vaccinated for your protection and that of your family.'
