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The number of H1N1 swine flu cases in England rose by nearly 50 percent in the last week with the number of hospitalised patients in critical care a cause for concern, health officials said on Thursday.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said there were 78,000 new cases of the flu in England, up from 53,000 the previous week, with those aged between one and 14 the most affected.

More than 20 percent of hospitalised patients were in intensive care, it said, a much higher level than was reached when the pandemic was at its peak in July.

"This is the area of concern," said Liam Donaldson, England's chief medical officer. "We've seen a very substantial increase now in the numbers in intensive care from last week."

So far there have been 97 deaths in England related to swine flu, with a total of 137 across the United Kingdom.

Swine flu kills mum just days after she has baby
Exclusive by Dean Kirby
November 02, 2009

A YOUNG mum with swine flu has died in hospital just days after giving birth to her first child.

Susan Ford was 35 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to Salford Royal Hospital with severe, flu-like symptoms. Her condition deteriorated rapidly and sahe was given an emergency caesarian section early the following day.

Her daughter Poppy was born healthy but Susan, 31, had to be placed on a ventilator and transferred to intensive care. Doctors confirmed she had the H1N1 virus and she was given Tamiflu, but her condition worsened when she developed severe pneumonia. She died at 4.30am on Saturday - 18 days after giving birth

Susan, a post-graduate student, who lived in Leigh, Wigan, was engaged to her partner John Freeman, 26. Poppy, who weighed five-and-a-half pounds, was due to go home from hospital today.

Susan's heartbroken mum Wynne said: "She was looking forward to being a mother and she and John were planning their whole lives together. The staff at the hospital did everything they could for Susan and I can't fault them at all."

Susan's family has now called for special machines to be put into every hospital to help people suffering from the H1N1 virus. The ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machines, which circulate the patient's blood outside the body and add oxygen to it artificially, have already saved some people's lives.

But there only a handful of adult beds in the country and there are none in the north west. Mrs Ford said: "We don't know if Susan would have survived if she would have access to one, but we believe that she would have had a better chance. But those machines should be in every big city hospital in the country. "

John said: "I don't know if one of the machines would have helped, but the question about them needs to be answered."

There were an estimated 78,000 new cases of swine flu nationally last week, up from 53,000 the week before. The death toll last week stood at 137. The first supplies of the vaccine are being sent out to GPs.

A study in one US medical journal says most patients with swine flu who have severe respiratory failure will survive if they receive ECMO treatment. But there is only one adult unit in England, at the Glenfield Hospital in Leicester. The unit has five beds.

Susan's uncle Robin Donnelly-Gallagher, 53, said: "Susan was full of health and very much looking forward to the birth of her baby.

"It's a scandal that no ECMO machines are available in Greater Manchester to help people with swine flu.

"Susan may have lived and Poppy would have had a mum to help her grow up. Now it's too late and the family grieves for our beautiful, lost Susan."

Dr Julie Higgins said: "Our experience so far is that those pregnant women who are getting swine flu are only developing mild symptoms."

She said pregnant women should carry on with day-to-day activities, but should observe good hand hygiene, avoid contact with anyone who is suspected of having swine flu and contact their GP if they have flu-like symptoms.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "To ensure the NHS is in the strongest position to respond to swine flu, robust plans have been put in place to double critical care capacity. This includes doubling the number of adult ECMO beds to ten."

The Middlesex-London Health Unit is reporting three area residents with Influenza A have died. The deaths linked to the flu are the first for the Middlesex/London region, and according to Medical Officer of Health Dr. Graham Pollet of the Middlesex London Health Unit the flu strain is expected to be H1N1.

The number of new cases of influenza A/H1N1 (also known as swine flu) in the UK for the past week amounted to more than 100 thousand people, said on Thursday the Ministry of Health of the country, RIA Novosti reports.

The greatest increase in the number of reported cases occurred in England (about 84 thousand) and Scotland (more than 17 thousand).

The number of deaths for the entire period of the epidemic in the United Kingdom in April this year to 153. In particular, according to official data, in England, registered 105 cases of death in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of influenza A/H1N1 in Scotland - 31, in Northern Ireland - 10 in Wales - seven.

As noted in the report of the Ministry of Health, despite the approach of winter, the vast majority of cases the disease is mild.

The incidence in the country has been growing for eight consecutive weeks. According to forecasts of doctors, the upcoming winter swine influenza pereboleet every eight adults and one third of children in the UK.

Two weeks ago, British Hospital launched a massive vaccination against swine flu. First of all vaccinations will be scheduled among the people most susceptible to the normal seasonal influenza, patients with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, as well as medical personnel .-- 0 --

Four more die of swine flu

Four more people have died after contracting swine flu in the West Midlands, it emerged today, as cases of those infected continued to rise.

The latest deaths brings the total of those who have died after testing positive for the disease in the region to 19. The number of sufferers admitted to hospital this week was 203 compared with 146 last week and 95 inpatients with swine flu were being treated in hospital as of Wednesday, according to the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority.

Dr Rashmi Shukla, regional director Public Health, NHS West Midlands, said: “We would expect to see a rise in respiratory illness, such as swine flu, at this time of year, and we would like to remind people that they should continue to adhere to good respiratory and hand hygiene practices to reduce chances of the virus spreading.

“Unfortunately there have been a further four swine-flu related deaths and our thoughts are with the families of these patients at this very sad time.”

The West Midlands currently has 89 anti-viral collection points open across the region. Since the National Pandemic Flu Service was launched, over 88,000 people have collected anti-virals from the points.

Figures show Walsall Manor Hospital is on course to have vaccinated almost 1,000 people in a fortnight against swine flu with an increasing amount being sent to intensive care.
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List of swine flu deaths in the UK (updated)
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This list has been compiled from publicly reported deaths in UK newspapers. It does not include those swine flu deaths for which no details have been given.
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