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Health experts surprised by spread of swine flu virus

Respected influenza scientist Dr Alan Hay, director of the London-based World Influenza Centre ha sexpressed surprise by the spread of swine flu in the U.K.

The outbreak in Britain had not followed expected patterns and warned the Department of Health needed to be prepared for a more deadly form of the disease.

Seventeen people in the UK have died after contracting swine flu although most people who had died from the outbreak had underlying health problems.

335 people have been treated in hospital after contracting the virus. with thousands visiting GPs with flu-like symptoms every week. It had become clear the flu pandemic was predominantly affecting children aged five to 14, with the majority of cases nationally and internationally affecting people under 30. Those born before the 1957 flu pandemic appeared to be particularly resistant to the outbreak, indicating they carried some residual immunity.

Of particular concern was that the virus, which has caused only mild illness in most cases, could become more deadly.

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