Fourteen people in the UK are now thought to have died after contracting swine flu - with dozens more critically ill with the bug.

Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said there were currently 43 people in critical care in England with the virus, and another 292 people being treated in hospital.

There are at least 9,718 confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK - with the son of former Nolans singer Coleen Nolan among those who have caught the bug.

She told the Daily Mirror that 16-year-old Jake was in quarantine at home after being rushed to the doctors with raging fevers and headaches. He is now on the mend, the Loose Women presenter said.

The UK's swine flu case total is the third highest in the world after the US and Mexico, where the bug was first identified.

Sir Liam said all the patients who have died so far - 12 of whom were in England - had other health problems.

He added that it was not known how many people in the UK were truly suffering from the bug as many people would now be treating themselves at home rather than contacting their GP.

"We do know something about the people seeking help from the NHS but there will be many other people who look after themselves, don't realise they have it and don't show up," he said. "We have to acknowledge the problem is bigger than surveillance is showing us."

Sir Liam also revealed that London and the West Midlands were approaching epidemic levels in terms of the number of cases being seen.

It is unclear where or when the latest deaths linked to swine flu occurred. Justin McCracken, chief executive of the Health Protection Agency, said the organisation would not be releasing information about individual deaths.

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