UK swine flu death toll rises
Updated on 09 July 2009
The number of people in Britain now believed to have died after contracting swine flu has risen to 14.
The chief medical officer confirmed that 14 people in Britain have died after coming down with the swine flu virus.
The UK now has the third highest number of cases of swine flu in the world after the US and Mexico.
There are nearly 10,000 laboratory confirmed cases here, but as many patients are being diagnosed on the spot by their GPs, the true figure is thought to be much higher.
London and the West Midlands are particular hotspots, with the number of cases almost reaching epidemic proportions.
The Department of Health is now focussed on identifying the hotspots in need of most support.
So far all 14 UK swine flu patients who have died have had underlying health conditions.
Even though the virus is generally still mild experts are warning it is only a matter of time before it claims a healthy victim here as it has already in the Americas.
