55k Brits catch swine flu in one week

AROUND 55,000 people in Britain were infected with swine flu last week alone - bringing our total number of cases to around 85,000.

Health officials said 652 people were now in hospital with the bug - a figure that has DOUBLED in a week.

Fifty three were in intensive care. The shock new figures came as it was revealed 29 Brits have died of the disease - an increase of 12 in just the past four days.

Today, it emerged a baby has been left fighting for life after its swine flu stricken mum gave birth prematurely.

The 39-year-old mum-of-six died in hospital on Monday moments after having her "very early" baby. The child has been in intensive care ever since.

The woman, thought to have been a paraplegic after a car crash several years ago, died at Whipps Cross Hospital, in North East London.

Relatives of the victim, who lived in London but is originally thought to be from Bangladesh, are said to be caring for her five other kids.

A hospital spokesman said: "Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust can confirm that a 39-year-old woman passed away on July 13, 2009 and that she was infected with Pandemic H1N1.

"The trust can confirm that she had underlying health conditions."

Other victims are thought to include a tot under six months old. He died in North London's Royal Free Hospital.

The death of a seven-year-old boy on Tuesday was caused by "a range of complications which were not related to swine flu", health officials revealed today.

Announcing the new figures, Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said that by September one person in eight will be sick with the bug and a third of the population could be infected during the course of the pandemic over the next two years.

He predicted that might mean 65,000 deaths - equivalent to the population of a town the size of Guildford, Surrey. Normal flu takes an average 10,000 lives a year.

Most victims will be people with respiratory diseases or immune system deficiencies, along with patients recovering from operations.

The highest number of cases have occurred in the 16 to 64 age group, followed by the under fives. Health authorities are closely monitoring the bug for any changes, although Sir Liam stressed it has NOT been mutating to become more deadly.

Most people who get it will have only minor symptoms and are urged to remain at home to stop the disease spreading even more.

Sir Liam also announced the launch of the National Pandemic Flu Service which should be up and running next week.

It will enable patients to get a swine flu diagnosis over the phone or on the internet. They will then be given a unique ID code that will allow a healthy pal to collect a dose of antiviral drug Tamiflu.

The treatment should cut the severity of their symptoms.

Sir Liam said: "The new flu service will ease the pressure on hospitals and GP services, allowing them to look after the most seriously ill. We will say it's not advisable to take the drugs if you don't need them."

The Royal College of GPs yesterday attacked the Government's handling of the crisis. It said doctors have complained of confusion over prescribing Tamiflu and a lack of knowledge over how long people should stay at home.

A report due out today also warned that the UK's GDP - the amount of wealth the country creates - could fall by five per cent in the wake of the swine flu outbreak.

The study, by Oxford Economics, said there was a significant risk the economy would tip into deflation.

And according to official guidance, some schools could remain closed in September if swine flu escalates over the summer.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said while it is expected schools and nurseries would open as usual at the start of the academic year, they "cannot be certain what the situation will be" in the autumn.

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PRESIDENT Barack Obama yesterday set aside $1.825billion for emergency use to fight swine flu. The money will pay for vaccines and an inoculation programme.