New warning as at least 6 victims of swine flu die

AT least six Scottish swine flu victims have died in the latest outbreak, with ten people admitted to intensive care in a week.

New official figures show the H1N1 virus is tightening its grip as the most common strain of flu seen this winter.

Experts fear many Scots have not developed immunity to the virus, which has been around only since a deadly pandemic began in Mexico in 2009.

In just three weeks, 261 people have tested positive for swine flu, which killed almost 70 Scots at its peak seven years ago. But new figures show that a large number of pregnant women have not been vaccinated against it, putting themselves in danger.

Though the flu season is barely in full swing, the latest figures from Health Protection Scotland show 39 people have been taken to intensive care with a form of the virus in just under four months.

Almost to a third of these, 11 people, have died. Officials have confirmed a majority had swine flu.

Professor Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, said: ‘There will be quite a lot of folk about who, when they meet this virus, will come down with it.

‘The other strains they are more likely to have met, because they have been around for more years, and will be protected against. A group of people who escaped swine flu in 2009 haven’t seen the virus since, because it hasn’t been all that busy.

‘Ten people in intensive care in a week is a concern. It is a bit of a scandal when at-risk groups like pregnant women are not getting the vaccine.’

Of the people taken to intensive care between the end of September and mid- January, 18 had swine flu and are likely to have been severely struggling to breathe.

The risk is that swine flu, like other forms, could turn into pneumonia, creating a risk of dangerous complications.

Health Protection Scotland said its recent figures on swine flu are still provisional, but those who died all had underlying health problems. It has refused to say if any of those in intensive care were pregnant women, who are particularly at risk from swine flu due to their lowered immune systems.

It added that the overall number of flu deaths was within expected levels for the last four weeks.

Despite the risk from swine flu, which affected at least 261 people laboratory-tested for it in the three weeks to January 17, pregnant women are failing to get vaccinated to protect themselves. Health Protection Scotland’s monthly influenza report yesterday showed only 44.6 per cent of expecting mothers have taken up the flu jab so far this winter, down from 45.6 per cent last year and 45.1 per cent in 2014.

For those in increased danger due to other risk factors, only 58.6 per cent have had the vaccine – down 4 per cent on the percentage vaccinated at this point a year ago.

Most of Scotland’s health boards will not provide information on how many people are currently sick

‘It is a bit of a scandal’

in hospital with swine flu. But figures on all flu cases – including swine flu – are available. They show 22 of the 39 taken into intensive care were in the west of Scotland, with 11 in the east of the country and six in the north.

In a single week, ending on January 17, ten people were seriously ill and taken to intensive care.

Yesterday, a ward at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where patients were placed in isolation with swine flu earlier this week, had re-opened. NHS Lanarkshire refused to say if two flu victims admitted to Wishaw General at the start of this week are still there.

The flu vaccine is offered to people with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, those aged 65 and over and unpaid carers.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Flu can be a very serious illness so it is important that those who are eligible and haven’t yet had their flu vaccination do so.’