UK: 607 confirmed fatalities due to influenza

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

WHIPPS CROSS: No intensive care beds available
5:38pm Friday 7th January 2011


THERE are no intensive care beds left at Whipps Cross Hospital, as staff deal with one confirmed case of Swine Flu and another seven suspected cases, including two children.

But the hospital says it is 'coping well' with the numbers of suspected cases due to an increase in isolation facilties since December.

One confirmed case of Swine Flu (H1N1) and three other suspected cases are currently being treated in intensive care.
...

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/8778655.WHIPPS_CROSS__No_intensive_care_beds_available/

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Four swine flu-related deaths in Rotherham (population 117,000)

Four people suffering from swine flu have died in Rotherham this winter, doctors have said.

Three were patients at Rotherham District Hospital, the hospital's medical director Professor Walid Al-Wali told BBC News. The fourth was a 16-year-old who died at home.

All had swine flu, but also had other underlying medical problems, he said.

...
continues at; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-12140210

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Patient dies from flu - and vaccine is running out
Dr Colin Bradshaw wants patients in at risk groups get immunised.


07 January 2011
By Verity Ward


...

Dr Colin Bradshaw, from Marsden Road Health Centre in Horsley Hill, South Shields, has seen many people with flu-like illnesses recently ? but said it was impossible to say whether it was swine flu without lab tests.

He said one of his young patients had died from flu.

He said: "Doctors, whether GPs or in hospital, can't tell swine flu by history and examination. You can only do it by taking samples and sending it off to the laboratory.

"There is no value in this as people suffer similar symptoms, get the same treatment and can die from both.

"We had a young person from the practice die of complications of flu.

This person had significant other health problems and was offered immunisation, but said they didn't want it. That person is now dead
...

http://www.jarrowandhebburngazette.com/latest-news/Patient-dies-from-flu-.6682961.jp

[tetano]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Dudley Hospital in cancelled operations crisis due to flu and cold weather

HUNDREDS of operations have been cancelled in the Black Country to cope with escalating swine flu rates, hospitals have revealed.

Paula Clark, Chief Executive of Dudley Group of Hospitals, which includes Russells Hall, has apologised to patients for the unprecedented move.

And chiefs at hospitals in Walsall and Sandwell hospital joined her to urge people to be patient, blaming ?extremely high volumes of emergency patients? due to flu and cold weather on the cancellations.

Officials said surgical beds used for patients to recover from operations were being used for emergency patients instead during December.

Insiders said cancelled operations were running into hundreds and it would mean overworked NHS staff doing extra shifts to catch up.

Ms Clark said: ?We know coming into hospital for an operation can be distressing, which is why we will only postpone an operation as a last resort.

?I?d like to apologise to anyone who has been inconvenienced and to reassure them they will be seen at the earliest possible opportunity.

?This winter is proving especially busy and has been exceptional because of cold weather, chest problems and flu.?

The hospital trust refused to reveal exact figures of operations cancelled.

Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...#ixzz1AO2PA2DK

[tetano]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Woman, 35, dies of swine flu in Eastbourne


A woman has died of suspected swine flu.

The 35-year-old is the first person to be killed by the virus in Sussex this winter.

The woman, who has not been named, died at Eastbourne District General Hospital (DGH).

Health bosses refused to reveal exactly when she died, but it is believed to be in the past few days.

DGH staff yesterday referred calls about swine flu patients to the NHS South East Coast Strategic Health Authority (SHA) at Horley, near Gatwick.

An SHA spokeswoman said patient confidentiality prevented her from discussing any individual case.

She said: ?The numbers involved are very low and to confirm a death would identify a particular individual.

?We are not in a position to talk about individual cases with the media because it would be a breach of patient confidentiality.?

The number of people critically ill with swine flu in the county's hospitals has trebled to at least 24 in the last two weeks.



A pensioner from Bognor, who had underlying health problems, also died after catching the virus.
The Argus revealed yesterday that health bosses are bracing themselves for an explosion of swine flu cases as schools and businesses return from the festive break.

Hundreds of people suffering from flu symptoms and breathing difficulties have already swamped hospitals and GP surgeries.

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/8775943.Woman__35__dies_of_swine_flu_in_Eastbourne/

[SusanC]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Latest ILI charts from RCGP http://www.rcgp.org.uk/default.aspx?page=444 show a drop in the week Dec 27, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011, across all regions except the north where it remained flat. This could mean that the outbreak has peaked. It could also be due to lower consultation rates over the holiday period, although I suspect that is not the case, since one would have thought consultation rates would have been even more affected the previous week, over Xmas, especially since many were snow-bound from Dec 18 to around 25th.

Deaths will lag behind by a couple of weeks, approximately, so I'd expect reports to continue to rise, sadly...

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

That would be great, but the rate of drop seems too precipitous. For example the 0-4 group dropped from 211.2 to 88.6 per 100,000.

The HPA was also dubious and said;

"Due to bank holidays in week 52 (ending 2 January) GP surgeries
were only open for three days, which will have impacted GP
consultation rates so data should be interpreted cautiously. The
weekly ILI consultation rate decreased in England and Scotland,
was stable in Wales and increased in Northern Ireland."

http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1287148330414

[SusanC]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

"Due to bank holidays in week 52 (ending 2 January) GP surgeries
were only open for three days,

Yeah, ok, thanks, so we'll have to wait one more week to see.

Edit - ps, I didn't realize they had the Xmas and Boxing day holidays on Dec 27 and 28. Shows what happens when you don't live by regular working hours/weeks. :wink:

[NS1]

377G in UK Not Notated on HPA Chart

The 377G that is emergent in 2009 Human H5N1 from Dakahlia is also emergent in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region>. A recent fatal case from England, UKEngland4500186_2010_11_f, carries the same coding for 377G combined with a 190Y only found elsewhere in 2010 Malmoe Sweden pH1N1 and in Avian H6N1.

The HPA chart of sequences did not notate the 377G branch though 5 English sequences, including this fatal one, appear on the chart carrying the H5N1 Human adaptation.

• UKEngland83_2010_10
• UKEngland87_2010_10
• UKEngland5500192_2010_10
• UKEngland119_2010_11
• UKEngland4500186_2010_11_f

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Data indicates that this disease is rapidly diversifying by accumulating data from multiple animal reservoirs. The most recent <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> release is essentially divergent using hyper-zoonoses.

[tetano]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

swine flu dad stable

A KELLOHOLM dad was said to be in a ?stable condition? in hospital yesterday as he continues to battle swine flu.

Twenty-five year-old Glen McMurdo, was admitted to Dumfries Infirmary on Christmas night.

A spokesman for NHS Dumfries and Galloway confirmed that two patients are in intensive care but remain stable.

He said: ?Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, in keeping with hospitals across Scotland, continues to experience relatively low numbers of patients presenting with flu-like illness.

?Currently there is a small number of patients experiencing the symptoms of H1N1 illness ? two patients are receiving additional intensive care and remain stable.?

http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-news/local-news-dumfries/local-news-dumfriesshire/2011/01/07/swine-flu-dad-stable-51311-27943527/

[tetano]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Northamptonshire running out of flu vaccine

Supplies of flu vaccine are reaching critically low levels with pharmacists and GPs unable to say when, or if, they will receive any more.
A surge in demand from fit and healthy people who do not qualify for the vaccine on the NHS has exhausted stock levels.

NHS Northamptonshire confirmed that there have been deaths in the county due to swine flu and says it is working with GPs to ensure supplies are maintained.

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/Northamptonshire-running-out-of-flu.6683590.jp

[tetano]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Swine flu gardener who spent six weeks in coma hits out at SNP government

A GRANDAD spent six weeks in a coma and has been unable to work since catching swine flu 16 months ago.

Ian Barr, 58, yesterday called on all Scots to be given vaccines protecting them from the killer illness after his gruelling ordeal.

Since catching swine flu he has been unable to work after the illness ravaged his body.

Ian said: "It's only when you have gone through it that you realise just how serious swine flu is.

"I have still not been able to return to work, although I am getting better.

"I feel that the SNP government are letting the people of this country down. It should be open to everybody to have a chance to get the jab if they want it "After what I've been through I don't want anyone else to have the same thing to go through."

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/health-news/2011/01/08/swine-flu-gardener-who-spent-six-weeks-in-coma-hits-out-at-snp-government-86908-22834130/

[Giuseppe]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Source: Eurosurveillance: http://www.eurosurveillance.org/View...rticleId=19760 also at FT.

Images URL:

(1) Influenza A H1N1 (2009) phylogenetic tree, http://www.eurosurveillance.org/imag...IS_Fig3new.jpg
(2) Influenza B, phylogenetic tree, http://www.eurosurveillance.org/imag...LLIS_Fig4-.jpg

[1]


[2]


-
------

[tetano]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Tribute as lorry driver with swine flu dies

GovernmenT health chiefs last night said the number of flu cases expected in the next week would be "difficult to call" as it emerged that a 44-year-old lorry driver from Yorkshire had died after catching the virus.
Dean Brown, of East Herringthorpe, Rotherham, was expected home from hospital this week after apparently recovering from the H1N1 swine flu virus, which is one of three strains of the condition sweeping the country.

But his family yesterday revealed that he had died on Wednesday morning at Rotherham District General Hospital, where another patient, who has not been identified, also died from flu earlier in the week.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Tribute-as-lorry-driver-with.6683813.jp

[tetano]

Re: UK: Reports of Approximately 57 Deaths and 800+ Patients in intensive care (50 deaths confirmed by HPA as for Jan. 06 2011) due to influenza

Bolton?s flu rates double

FLU rates have doubled in Bolton as hospital bosses cancel more non-urgent operations in a bid to cope with high numbers of seriously ill people.

Stocks of the borough?s flu vaccine had been running low but health bosses have now been sent extra supplies.

Only one person in Bolton is known to have died from flu ? a woman who died after contracting swine flu?and it is not known how many people are seriously ill.


The rate of flu cases in Bolton has soared from 8.6 per 100,000, in the week ending December 26, to 15.4 per 100,000 in the week ending January 2.



Hospital bosses have now called off 13 operations over the weekend, 28 on Monday and all of Tuesday?s procedures.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/districtnews/districtatog/8779201.Bolton___s_flu_rates_double/