Number of swine flu deaths reaches 95 in UK

Since the start of the flu season last October, 112 people have died with the virus in Britain, the government has confirmed.

UK flu deaths doubled last week from 50 to 112 due to the time lag between infection and confirming cause.

Of these, 95 had the pandemic H1N1 swine flu strain.

Even though the majority of victims is still of the age group 15 to 64, there is rising concern in medical circles that more children risk falling victim to swine flu.

Under current rules, in fact, the swine flu jab is only offered to little ones and adults with underlying health conditions, pregnant women and people over 65.

The parents of Lana Ameen, a three-year-old girl who died the day after Christmas in Stockport, Great Manchester, made the brave decision to release the last image of their dying daughter, to urge the government to review its vaccination policy.

Little Lana was not eligible for the jab as she did not have any underlying health issue; she died just two days after developing swine flu symptoms.

Despite a Government’s declaration according to which the outbreak may still not have peaked and an increasing number of people suffering from flu across the Midlands, ministers are maintaining a hard line and refusing to make the flu vaccine available to all children.

Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) records remind that as bad as the flu strain is, it is not yet as serious as the pandemic of 2009, when 149 people died directly of the disease.