UK swine flu cases top 1,700 mark

BBC

The number of UK swine flu cases has risen to 1,759 after 145 more people in England were confirmed with the virus.

In Scotland seven more patients tested positive for swine flu. Six are in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

The overall UK total includes 1,207 cases in England, 537 in Scotland, 12 in Northern Ireland and three in Wales.

A Department of Health spokesman said UK cases have been “generally mild in most people, but are proving to be severe in a small minority of cases”.

He said: “We are continuing to work to slow the spread of the disease and to put in place arrangements to ensure that the UK is well-placed to deal with this new infection.”

‘Best prepared’

Meanwhile, the Scottish Crown Office has confirmed that Jacqui Fleming, 38, of Glasgow, was the first person to die from swine flu outside North America.

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