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A pregnant woman seriously ill with swine flu gave birth to her baby before dying, the Evening Standard can reveal.
Another baby under the age of six months has also died with the illness in London, as well as a six-year-old boy from Kent who is believed to have been otherwise healthy.
It comes after health bosses announced the number of swine flu deaths has more than doubled in the past week to 29, and said there could be as many as 65,000 deaths during the outbreak.
A national flu telephone helpline planned for the autumn has been rushed forward, but there are concerns that patients who don't see a doctor face-to-face will be unable to claim on insurance for holidays they are forced to cancel.
The 39-year-old pregnant woman, who died at Whipps Cross hospital on Monday, is one of four new swine flu victims in London, taking the total to 10. Her baby, who was born extremely prematurely, is fighting for life in intensive care.
She is thought to have been left paraplegic after a car crash a number of years ago. Relatives of the woman, who is thought to be originally from Bangladesh, are said to be looking after her five other children.
London is experiencing epidemic levels of swine flu and is the worst-hit area in the country. The youngest victim is a baby who died at the Royal Free Hospital last week, who was under six months. The other latest cases include a 70-year-old man who died at the Royal London Hospital on Tuesday and another adult patient who died at St Thomas' last Friday. All had serious underlying health conditions but tested positive for swine flu.
Dr Simon Tanner, regional director of public health at NHS London, said: “We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to each of the families affected. It is also important that these deaths be kept in perspective.
“All four had underlying health conditions and these upsetting cases should be kept in context with the many people who have had swine flu and recovered just a few days after experiencing a mild illness.”
Another three deaths are being investigated to determine whether they too had the virus.
The news comes as Sherwin Knight infant school in Kent closed after the death of the “healthy” six-year-old boy on Wednesday.
A teacher at the school said she was off work with the bug herself. She said: “I've been off with swine flu for the past week and I know there were several pupils at the infant school who had swine flu.”
Speaking after the announcement of the new London deaths, Andy Wapling, head of emergency preparedness at NHS London, said: “We would like to reassure people that NHS London is well-prepared. NHS London has put in place recently audited plans on how to prepare for flu pandemic and ensure that anyone who needs help will receive it.”
The Government's chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson said 26 people have died in England and three in Scotland since the epidemic began.
One of the Scottish deaths was a female tourist with “significant underlying medical conditions”. She had been in hospital for three weeks.
Reader views (30)
my eldest daughter is pregant full term, her husband came home from work on Friday with swineflu. my youngest daughter was staying with her for a few days in Peterborough anyway, but with the husbands swine flu we have had to travel up and stay in a hotel nearby to take care of our 2 year old grandson in the event that daughter goes into labour. Husband is in quarentine and hasn't left the bedroom for 5 days now. i had always considered the swine flu thing a bit of scare rather than anything to worry about but put a pregant woman and a 2 year old into the mix and suddenly it's as serious as it gets. we are now really worried on a number of fronts.
- David Harris, wellington somerset
People need to stay calm. No amount of panicking is going to help the situation. I'm currently at home with swine flu. The symptoms are unpleasant and I feel tired but it has been no worse than my previous experience of flu. Of course there will always be a minority of people who suffer complications and more serious symptoms but that is the case of any virus.
People need to use common sense to protect themselves. Practice good personal hygiene. Stay at home if you have symptoms and keep yourself well hydrated. Avoid contact with vulnerable groups if you have symptoms e.g. babies, elderly, those with respiratory illnesses. Use cold and flu remedies or apply for tamiflu online. Symptoms should pass within a week. Antibiotics like amoxicillin are not effective on viruses.
Face masks only work temporarily as once they become moist (i.e. with breathing) are ineffective. If not disposed of safely and hygenically they will harbour bacteria therefore using them on mass on public transport is unlikely to be practical. Carry an antiseptic gel (you can buy these in most chemists) to keep your hands clean when you are not able to wash them.
- Dr Cathy Green, London
My child, age of nearly 3 had flu at the begining of this month, and was treated as swine flu. But others in our family, including my granpa age of 82 or me who is pregnant didn't get it. So I doubt that if the flu my child had was normal flu or swine flu. But I'm very scard to go out, especially on busses. Because when before she has the flu we travelled on a but where was someone vomited and I had to travel on it because of an appointment. Since that I havn't traveled on a bus. I'm also planning not to send my child to play school this winter. It could be silly, but I'm trying to avoid the posibilities to catch the flu, especially when the virus can be mutate.
I THINK WE ALL SHOULD TRY TO DO WHAT EVER WE CAN DO TO AVOID GETTING THE FLU, ESPECILLY FOR SAKE OF EVERYONE.
- Anju, London
Stay safe from swine flu,just recovered from a mild flu with Amoxilin.It takes 5 to 7 days to get better.
- Rachid, London
i was diagnosed with swine flu tonight.. i have had a fever @ 38.2 degrees..and diarroreah.. i dont have a cough, or runny nose..I am being prescribed Tami flu in the morning. i have been told to stay in.. to have no contact with the outside world till im better... which could be 5-7 days.other than that. i feel fine..
- Paul, London
Cancel all end of term concerts etc and close all schools NOW for the summer break.
- Rosemary, javea spain
Hello London,
R.I.P to the Mother of this dear baby, this story is so real and we all must be alert. I hope the little one battles through and has a fantastic life and knows that Mother will always love her off spring.
So sad and to all who fall ill and I keep my fingers crossed that I or my family don't get this horrible swine flu.
Once again R.I.P..
- John L., Scarborough. N. Yorkshire. U.K.
Ric - I'm no fan of this government but no one can claim they haven't taken this seriously.
There's a good reason why the UK is at the front of the queue when it comes to getting the anti-viral drugs as and when we need them and that's because the government put in large orders for these very early on with the drugs manufacturers.
This government is guilty of a lot of things for which they'll pay the price at the next election but on this occasion, complacency is not one of them.
- Neil, London
Ric - loads of times: 'normal flu' is not the over-inflated cold that most people bill as flu because they feel quite ill and needs some sympathy. 'Normal Flu' is really serious: the Spanish version wiped out more people than the first World War . . .
- Roz, France
Daveb,
Yes, winter flu kills 4,000 people in the UK in the WINTER not in the middle of July.
If this flu (which I have had and can tell you it is in no way mild as the press seem to be claiming) is killing this number of people in the summer, I dread to think what it will do in the winter.
So no, it's not the same thing.
- The Swine, London
Everyone thats say's swine flu is no different to normal winter flu are talking trash. Since when does a normal healthy child between the age of 5-10 years die of normal flu? I haven't heard of any such story in the last 20 years now we are hearing them daily and it appears it is going to get alot worst. The government needs to step up and start taking this more seriously.
- Ric, London
Quote: Daveb, london.
Each year winter flu kills around 4000 people in the UK.
thats a fact well worth remembering to balance the hysteria.
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This is true Dave; but in the middle of winter most of the Flu deaths are due to hypothermia; because the elderly with just state pensions, cannot afford to heat their homes adequately; even though they do get a heating allowance which is dwarfed by heating cost increases from the private utility companies etc.
This is some-what different; from dying of flu viruses in the middle of summer etc.
Another thing to remember about this virus is; those young people that are infected with aids; and other ailments; are more likely to die than the elderly at this moment in time etc.
Can you remember the last time that people died of the Flu; in summertime?
We used to have what you call Hysteria, during the second world war; it was gas attacks then from our European friends, and the government gave us gas masks; even micky mouse ones for babies; we never needed them of course; but we got them anyway; they would be very useful today, instead of vaccines.
Have a long life Dave, and don’t breath in whilst you are outside with other people.
- Mickinlondon, london.
The government have messed up with the vaccine already. They have been using it as a prophylactic for anyone who is close to people who is infected. In some of thee cases they have notice the virus has been immune to the vaccine.
The virus is already starting to mutate and by the time the vaccine is here it will be useless. It has not even been tested yet.
- Serox, London
So Ali, once you have coughed, sneezed and spluttered into your hands, what do you with them? Hold on to a hand rail or something maybe? Ah maybe that's how colds/flu etc are spread so quickly. Just a thought.....
- Cd, Tolworth
Actually this virus is so infectious that no changes to personal hygeine behaviour will have any effect. Touching a hard surface previously touched by a flu sufferer is all it takes. If you're paranoid, gloves and a face mask are your best hope. It won't fully protect you, but it might lower your chance of infection enough that you don't catch it before a vaccine becomes widely available this winter.
You could also try taking a vitamin-D supplement come Autumn. There's some evidence that lower sunlight exposure leading to lower vitamin D levels leads in turn to greater susceptibility to flu (and colds). In summer just make sure you get ten minutes of sun on your arms two or three times a week, "unprotected" (i.e. before slapping on the sun-screen).
I won't be bothering with a mask. There's no cause for concern unless you have a health problem which would make catching flu life-threatening. It's quite a mild sort of flu, not the much-feared killer strain. For myself (at 55), the risk of dying of a heart attack this year is something like ten times the risk of dying from this flu. More exercise would be a better bet than a face-mask.
- Nigel, London
people should be worried. Do not underestimate this flu. it has the ability to put people , healthy , young adults, in intensive care and on mechanical respirators, within 12 hours of first symptoms. and those it does not kill, it can incapaciate for years through lung damage. Read the reports from Sydney. It is a very serious illness if you have a bad reaction to it. Healthy young people often have a severe reaction. "Underlying health issues" are a smokescreen. This is a different beast to normal flu.
Poeple should take the risk seriously and act accordingly. This illness is not a joke.
- James, london
i think there is something in this spitting thing. The rate of infection in Tower Hamlets is extraordinarily high according to Sir Liam Donaldson. Do Bengalis spit? I'm glad that the mother who was paralyzed in a car accident several years ago, did not let it interfere with her biolgical destiny of being a mother. And, how brave of her husband to fertilize her in those circumstances!
- Sue R, London
We're panicking unnecessarily.There's a greater chance of being stabbed to death in this lovely city.
- Steve, London
We need to get a handle on basic hygiene. Far to many people still do not wash their hands after going to the toilet and far to many handle food and grubby money - putting on protective gloves to do both defeats the object. Also has anybody noticed that the "hot spots" seem, in the main, to be areas of dense population that are also poorer than average, e.g. Luton and Tower Hamlets.
- Man U Fan, London
Hygiene issues aside - what I would like, until we get a proper hold of this pandemic, is for all tube and train stations to be able to offer free face masks. I know this, to some, may seem a tad extreme but I happen to use public transport on a regular basis and know when I cough or sneeze I always cover my mouth. Unfortunately - others do not and in the interests of public safety I think this would be a sensible measure to introduce as an interim precaution.
- Ali Sichilongo, London
Prototypical Englishman I believe the correct term for this flu is A/H1N1 virus but the media won't use it as it doesn't sound not scary enough.
On the other hand people like Daveb who thinks this is all just hysteria, should note that the way this virus is spreading and killing people at the moment, worst case scenario according to the chief medical officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, there will be 65,000 deaths due to swine flu in the UK. Compare that to 4,000 Daveb reckons die from normal flu each year.
- Victoria, London
Close all schools immediately and keep them shut until the epidemic subsides. Schools are the breeding grounds for Swine flu, they cannot be allowed to cause an entire nation to become infected because of child care concerns.
- Lawrence, Costa Del Sol
Colin - sadly the advice that they have been giving out has not covered basic hygiene. They have given advice about the signs and symptoms and when to see the doctor. Regrettably there are a lot of people out there who don't seem to know what they need to do to prevent the spread. The only way the message can be got across is by the use of public health TV/paper adverts explaining need to cover mouth/stop spitting etc.
- Andy, London
Its no surprise that swineflu or any contagion is spreading faster in inner-city London when you consider spitting.
Lets be grown up and admit, spitting is more prevalent and acceptable among some people more than others and is a major spreader of disease.
- Russell, London
Hate to seem self-interested in the wake of such tragedies, but what are “significant underlying medical conditions”? Could the media actually report the conditions so that others that have them are more aware of the risk. Also, and not wanting to sound disrespectful, but is there another name that the media could start to use for the flu itself. Its bad enough that you die, but do they put 'swine flu' on the certificate and grave stone?
- Prototypical Englishman, Wormwood Scrubs
"When are the Government or thr NHS going to give proper health safety advice to prevent the spread of this disease" Andy,have you been asleep for the past few weeks,we hear nothing other than advice from both quarters.
- Colin, Bristol
I agree with Andy. People need to follow basic hygiene and then this will help prevent the spread of the swine flu. There are so many people who think it is acceptable to cough and sneeze without tissues/hankies. Firstly, its disgusting and secondly, this is what helps spread germs.
- Jk, London
When are the government or NHS going to give proper health safety advice to prevent the spread of this disease?
When are people going to cover their mouths/noses when they cough/sneeze?
When are people going to stop spitting in the street and start spitting into tissues? (This morning I asked a Turkish man on the Lea Bridge Road to stop spitting and he just spat at me! I only mention his nationality because I know that culturally spitting is acceptable - but in these epidemic times public safety should be more important than culture)
- Andy, London
People need to put this into perspective. The winter flu bug can be just as dangerous to the young, elderly and those with underlying health issues. People should stop panicking and deal with this in the same way that they would deal with normal flu.
- Adam, London, UK
Each year winter flu kills around 4000 people in the UK.
thats a fact well worth remembering to balance the hysteria.
- Daveb, london
