Two more Lanarkshire residents die from swine flu

Dec 3 2009 by John Rowbotham, Hamilton Advertiser

THE death toll in Lanarkshire from swine flu has now risen to four.

Health chiefs last week revealed that a further two people had died after contracting the virus.

They have not identified the latest county victims but one patient was described as an older person and another an adult. Both were said to have had underlying health conditions.

Last week, it was reported that Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride had registered their first swine flu death.

Earlier last month, a child from Lanarkshire became Scotland’s 35th swine flu death and in October an adult from the county, suffering from a underlying health condition, succumbed to the virus.

As of November 23 in Scotland, there had been 1104 people with influenza A (H1N1) hospitalised since the start of the outbreak, and 48 Scottish deaths linked to H1N1. In the seven days to November 23, Lanarkshire had 114 GP consultations for flu-like illnesses per 100,000 population compared with 140 the previous seven days.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said they had now sourced 73 per cent of the supplies of vaccine required to administer to priority groups considered most susceptible to the virus.

Among the 1.3m in the first priority group are frontline social care and health workers, pregnant mums, people suffering from asthma and cancer, and people aged 65 years and over and in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at-risk groups. Last week, the programme was extended to 260,000 Scottish children between six months and five.

A spokesman for NHS Lanarkshire said: “The first phase of the H1N1 vaccination programme has been progressing well.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests a good uptake of the vaccine among patients in the priority groups and eligible frontline staff.

“Completing the vaccination of the initial priority groups remains our highest priority. We are confident that all those in the priority groups will be offered the vaccine before Christmas.

“The roll out of the second phase will take place once the initial priority groups have been vaccinated. Parents should wait to be contacted to arrange for their child to have the vaccine.

“Anyone who is concerned about flu-like symptoms should continue to contact their GP for advice, or NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24. Further information on the vaccine programme is available via the new Scottish Swine Flu Vaccination Helpline on 08000 28 28 16.”