Number of cases remains low
If you catch swine flu at the moment, you really are among a tiny minority. There is such little H1N1 around that health officials are able only to give a very general estimate. For the third week in succession, they believe the number of cases in England is below 5,000. The rate of GP consultations for flu-like illness was a tiny 12.1 per 100,000 for the week ending 17 January.
Anything below 30 per 100,000 is regarded as "background" levels, and the rate is tiny for this time of year. Rates of swine flu are falling in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The vast majority who get infected have a mild illness or no symptoms at all.
Having said, that there are 211 patients in hospital with swine flu in England, 62 of whom are in critical care. The total number of deaths stands at 390 (279 in England, 66 in Scotland, 28 in Wales and 17 in Northern Ireland).
Vaccination
3.7 million people in priority groups in England have received the H1N1 vaccine (out of around 12 million eligible).
Of those, 132,000 pregnant women and 214,000 children aged six months and under five have been immunised.
Rates of swine flu are so low that the Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson no longer gives journalists a weekly briefing. This has been replaced with . Despite the low levels of swine flu, Sir Liam urged those in priority groups to have the jab:
"When the virus returns in the 2010 flu season, those who develop complications or die will be doing so from a vaccine-preventable disease. I strongly advise that those eligible for the vaccine who have not yet had it get the jab and protect themselves."
Global picture
the death toll from the swine flu pandemic has risen to at least 14,142 - up 588 from a week ago. It says North Africa, South Asia and parts of Eastern Europe are now seeing the most intense transmission of the H1N1 virus.
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