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| Swine flu in winter 'for a third' | Swine flu in winter 'for a third' |
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| A third of the population may catch swine flu this winter and the virus could be here for up to five years, the government's medical chief has warned. | A third of the population may catch swine flu this winter and the virus could be here for up to five years, the government's medical chief has warned. |
| But Sir Liam Donaldson told the BBC the deaths of people with no apparent health problems did not mean the virus was becoming more severe. | But Sir Liam Donaldson told the BBC the deaths of people with no apparent health problems did not mean the virus was becoming more severe. |
| A fuller profile of the disease was emerging, he said, in which the majority were emerging unscathed. | A fuller profile of the disease was emerging, he said, in which the majority were emerging unscathed. |
| Nearly 200,000 concerned people have contacted NHS Direct since April. | Nearly 200,000 concerned people have contacted NHS Direct since April. |
| On Monday, the NHS recorded the highest number of calls yet as news of two deaths of people with the swine flu virus broke. | On Monday, the NHS recorded the highest number of calls yet as news of two deaths of people with the swine flu virus broke. |
| A post-mortem has established that GP Dr Michael Day died of causes other than swine flu, while tests are still being carried out to establish why six-year-old Chloe Buckley died. | A post-mortem has established that GP Dr Michael Day died of causes other than swine flu, while tests are still being carried out to establish why six-year-old Chloe Buckley died. |
| Seventeen people with swine flu have died in the UK so far. | Seventeen people with swine flu have died in the UK so far. |
| Death figures 'premature' | Death figures 'premature' |
| Sir Liam, who is chief medical officer for England, said it was "too early to say" whether a mortality rate of one in 200 - as suggested by some experts - was accurate. | Sir Liam, who is chief medical officer for England, said it was "too early to say" whether a mortality rate of one in 200 - as suggested by some experts - was accurate. |
| The virus will not just be here for one winter - previous pandemics have been around three, four, five years Sir Liam Donaldson GP 'died from natural causes' | |
| "We just haven't seen enough cases in this country to give an accurate figure. | "We just haven't seen enough cases in this country to give an accurate figure. |
| "We're tracking the pandemic very closely and scientists are looking at the virus to see is there are any signs of mutation - we haven't seen anything of that. | "We're tracking the pandemic very closely and scientists are looking at the virus to see is there are any signs of mutation - we haven't seen anything of that. |
| "It's still an emerging profile so putting a figure on the death rate is premature. | "It's still an emerging profile so putting a figure on the death rate is premature. |
| "But the longer it goes on - as the virus passes through more and more people - you do have to be alert to it changing. But provided it stays within the present strain then it will probably produce a similar profile of illness." | "But the longer it goes on - as the virus passes through more and more people - you do have to be alert to it changing. But provided it stays within the present strain then it will probably produce a similar profile of illness." |
| Between 30 to 35% of people could come down with the virus this winter, he said. The disease was also likely to strike again in the years that followed. | Between 30 to 35% of people could come down with the virus this winter, he said. The disease was also likely to strike again in the years that followed. |
| "The virus will not just be here for one winter - previous pandemics have been around three, four, five years," Sir Liam said. | "The virus will not just be here for one winter - previous pandemics have been around three, four, five years," Sir Liam said. |
| But by the end of the year, there should be enough vaccine in the UK to immunise half the population, he said. | But by the end of the year, there should be enough vaccine in the UK to immunise half the population, he said. |
| It is still unclear who will get priority when a first batch comes through in late August, but it is thought likely to be those with underlying health problems and frontline health workers. | It is still unclear who will get priority when a first batch comes through in late August, but it is thought likely to be those with underlying health problems and frontline health workers. |