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Wednesday, May 25, 2011

UK : Latest flu outbreak deadlier than 2009 pandemic as under 65s are hardest hit by swine strain

Via Mail Online, excerpt :

" Most of the Britons killed by the winter flu epidemic that swept the country were young or middle-aged due, according to official figures.

Altogether 602 people died from influenza during the winter of 2010, which was higher than the total during the 2009 global pandemic when 474 died.

More than 70 per cent (415) of those were aged between 15 and 64, despite the common belief that frail, old people are more at risk.

This was because the swine flu strain, which affected more younger people, claimed the most victims with 562 deaths linked to H1N1 last year.

Also just half of those at risk in this age group had been immunised against flu, according to the Health Protection Agency's annual flu report."

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