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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Reassurance after swine flu death | Reassurance after swine flu death |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Further deaths from swine flu without there being underlying health problems cannot be ruled out but will be rare, England's chief medical officer says. | Further deaths from swine flu without there being underlying health problems cannot be ruled out but will be rare, England's chief medical officer says. |
| It follows the first death in the UK of a patient who was otherwise healthy. The victim lived in Essex and died in hospital on Friday. | It follows the first death in the UK of a patient who was otherwise healthy. The victim lived in Essex and died in hospital on Friday. |
| Sir Liam Donaldson said it was a tragic case but people should not panic. | Sir Liam Donaldson said it was a tragic case but people should not panic. |
| Fifteen people have now died in the UK after contracting swine flu - 13 in England and two in Scotland. | Fifteen people have now died in the UK after contracting swine flu - 13 in England and two in Scotland. |
| Sir Liam said that for the vast majority of people infected, the new flu virus had produced only mild symptoms. | Sir Liam said that for the vast majority of people infected, the new flu virus had produced only mild symptoms. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | |
| "When it has produced severe illness it's tended to be people with underlying health problems, in this case it was in a previously healthy adult and we've seen from other cases around the world that uncommonly this does occur," he said. | "When it has produced severe illness it's tended to be people with underlying health problems, in this case it was in a previously healthy adult and we've seen from other cases around the world that uncommonly this does occur," he said. |
| "But it shows that all our planning, all our efforts, the stockpiling of anti-virals, the fact we will be one of the first countries to get a vaccine, all of those measures are extremely important." | "But it shows that all our planning, all our efforts, the stockpiling of anti-virals, the fact we will be one of the first countries to get a vaccine, all of those measures are extremely important." |
| Seasonal flu | Seasonal flu |
| The family of the Essex victim have asked for no more details of their relative to be released. | The family of the Essex victim have asked for no more details of their relative to be released. |
| BBC health correspondent Branwen Jeffreys said the death had come as no surprise to most experts and was a reminder of the potential threat posed by all kinds of flu. | BBC health correspondent Branwen Jeffreys said the death had come as no surprise to most experts and was a reminder of the potential threat posed by all kinds of flu. |
| "It can lead to complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia," she said. | "It can lead to complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia," she said. |
| Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said the death was not a significant development in terms of the pandemic's progress. | Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said the death was not a significant development in terms of the pandemic's progress. |
| "We see some deaths each winter in healthy people, or apparently healthy people, through the seasonal flu," he said. | "We see some deaths each winter in healthy people, or apparently healthy people, through the seasonal flu," he said. |
| "And we know there have been a number of deaths in America, who've had a much larger outbreak so far than we have. | "And we know there have been a number of deaths in America, who've had a much larger outbreak so far than we have. |
| "I mean this is very sad for the individual's family but the system we've got here in the UK is very good." | "I mean this is very sad for the individual's family but the system we've got here in the UK is very good." |