Number of new swine flu cases continues to fall

The number of people newly diagnosed with swine flu continues to fall, with 25,000 new cases in England in the last week, Government estimates show today.

A total of 371 patients are currently in hospital as a result of swine flu and the number of deaths linked to the virus is 44.

Experts have said the number of new cases of swine flu should continue to fall while schools and universities are on their summer holidays.

Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson announced that people in priority groups would begin receiving vaccinations in October.

This month, 300,000 doses of the vaccine have been delivered by the manufacturers and 54.6 million doses will have arrived by the end of the year.

Trials on the vaccines are taking place in England and across Europe this month and the European Medicines Agency is expected to licence the drug in late September or early October.

In order of priority, people aged six months to 65-years-old in conventional at-risk groups for normal seasonal flu will receive the vaccine first.

This will be followed by all pregnant women subject to licensing arrangements on the most suitable trimester to give the jab, people living in households with patients with suppressed immune systems and those over 65 in conventional at-risk groups.

At the same time, frontline health and social care workers will be vaccinated to keep essential services running, such as in hospitals.

Those covered by seasonal flu at-risk groups at the moment include diabetics, asthmatics and people with heart disease.