Flu Outbreak: 738 People In Intensive Care

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Flu Outbreak: 738 People In Intensive Care

4:03pm UK, Friday December 31, 2010

Andy Jack and Ruth Barnett, Sky News Online

The number of people requiring intensive care treatment for flu has risen to

738, according to the Department of Health.

A week ago, the figure was 460. It includes those who are suspected of having

flu as well as confirmed cases.

The latest numbers show 42 youngsters under the age of five are in intensive

care units.

Health Secretary Lansley has announced a flu awareness campaign will be

reinstated, prompting claims he has performed a U-turn.

Shadow health secretary Healey had accused Mr Lansley of " a serious

misjudgment " in axing the autumn advertising campaign urging people to have flu

jabs.

But after Mr Lansley announced that the 'Catch it, Bin it, Kill it' campaign is

to be re-launched on Saturday, he said: " It's better late than never but I

welcome Lansley's U-turn. "

However, the Department of Health pointed out that no flu vaccination campaign

was being launched.

A spokeswoman said: " We are very clear about those who need to be called for

vaccination and we have asked GP surgeries who have the lists of individuals to

contact them.

" There is no additional merit in a vaccination advertising campaign. "

However, she stressed that it was important " we remind people about the need to

practice good respiratory and hand hygiene " .

Mr Lansley's announcement came as the latest figures from the Health Protection

Agency revealed that 39 people have died of flu since October, 36 of them from

swine flu.

The figure includes 12 deaths during the past week. All but one of the deaths

were people aged under 65, and four of them were under five.

The Health Secretary has insisted that the NHS was " well prepared " to treat

sufferers, saying: " Thanks to robust early planning, the NHS is coping well with

the pressures of seasonal flu this year. "

On Wednesday, the Royal College of General Practitioners announced that cases of

flu rose by more than 40% in England and Wales last week.

It said the number reached 124 per 100,000 of the population in the week ending

December 26 - up from 86 per 100,000 cases in the previous week, with the

middle-aged particularly badly hit.

However, this is still well short of epidemic levels, which experts define as

200 cases per 100,000.

Professor of the HPA urged people in an at-risk group to have the

flu jab, and added: " Anyone who has symptoms of flu-like illness should get

medical advice as soon as possible and their GP will prescribe antivirals to

reduce their symptoms and lessen the risk of them developing complications. "