DH - Public strongly advised it is still important to have the Swine Flu jab - 21 Jan

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A new statistical bulletin from the Chief Medical Officer for England, published today, shows that swine flu cases are down, but deaths and serious illness remain a concern.

Over the Christmas and New Year period, new cases of swine flu in England fell to their lowest level since the early stages of the disease in the United Kingdom.

However, patients continue to be hospitalised and admitted to critical care facilities, although these numbers are falling off. Deaths attributable to swine flu are still also occurring.

The swine flu vaccination programme slowed over the holiday period, but all groups prioritised to have the vaccine are continuing to take it up.

Key statistics in the bulletin are:

Swine flu cases

• In England, the rate of general practitioner consultations for influenza like illness was 12.1 per 100,000 population for the week ending 17 January 2010.
• There are still 211 patients in hospital with swine flu in England, 62 of whom are in critical care.
• The Health Protection Agency overall estimate of the number of cases in the last week remains below 5,000, where it has been for the last three weeks.

National Pandemic Flu Service

• The number of people receiving antiviral drugs through the National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) in the week ending 18 January 2010 was 6,337.
• This represents a fall from the figure of 13,436 for the week ending 5 January 2010 and is the lowest weekly number since the NPFS was activated.

Vaccination programme

• The total estimated number of front line health and social care workers vaccinated to-date in England is 387,000.
• The total number of vaccine doses administered to the priority groups in England to-date is 3.7 million. This figure includes:
  • 132,000 pregnant women; and
  • 214,000 healthy children aged 6 months to under 5 years in England.

Commenting on the latest figures, Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England said:

• “Levels of pandemic ‘flu are currently very low virtually concluding the second wave of the infection in this country.
• “Although throughout it has not been a severe illness for most people, children and younger adults have developed serious complications, been admitted to hospital and some have died.
• “When the virus returns in the 2010 ‘flu season those who develop complications or die will be doing so from a vaccine preventable disease.
• “I strongly advise that those eligible for the vaccine who have not yet had it, get the jab and protect themselves."

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