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Sharp rise in serious flu cases Sharp rise in serious flu cases
(40 minutes later)
By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC NewsBy Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News
There has been a 50% rise in the number of patients in intensive care with flu in just three days, figures show. There has been a 50% rise in the past three days in the number of seriously ill people in hospital with flu, figures show.
Department of Health data from Thursday showed that 460 beds in England were occupied by flu patients, compared to 302 on Monday. Department of Health data from Thursday showed that 460 intensive care beds in England were occupied by flu patients, compared to 302 on Monday.
It comes after the number of patients visiting their GP with the illness doubled in the past week. Younger age groups are being particularly hard hit. But the total number of cases is in line with what would be expected.
Despite the rise, the government said the levels of flu are to be expected. Howver, vaccination rates are lower and questions are now being asked whether it was right not to run the annual vaccination advertising campaign.
So far 27 people have died with flu this winter. That compares to nearly 500 who died during last year's pandemic. It is normal for TV and newspaper adverts to run during the autumn, urging at-risk groups to come forward for immunisation. But this year's campaign was scrapped.
Awareness campaign
Dr Richard Vautrey, of the British Medical Association, said: "We wrote to the Department of Health a couple of weeks ago warning about the low uptake. People do not seem to have been taking this year's seasonal flu seriously enough and I think an awareness campaign early on could have helped."
Shadow health secretary John Healey said the government had made the "wrong judgement" in axing the campaign and suggested the decision had led to the fall in people coming forward for vaccination.
So far 27 people have died with flu this winter, 24 of which had swine flu which is one of the three flu strains circulating this winter. That compares to nearly 500 who died with swine flu during last year's pandemic.
And while there has been a sharp rise in the numbers in intensive care, the 460 figure still represents less than 14% of the total number of intensive care beds available.And while there has been a sharp rise in the numbers in intensive care, the 460 figure still represents less than 14% of the total number of intensive care beds available.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said GPs had identifed who needed to come forward for vaccination and were contacting them.
He acknowledged there may have been some confusion as people would have had a swine flu vaccination during the pandemic, but were now being asked to come forward again - swine flu appears to be the dominant strain of the flu viruses circulating this summer.
But he added: "It is not clear whether an advertising campaign would have made a difference."