Seasonal flu cases rise as vaccine uptake remains low

There has been an upsurge in cases of flu, with government figures showing that more than 300 people are currently in intensive care with the illness.

Data published on December 20th 2010 revealed that 24 under-fives were in critical care with confirmed or suspected flu, along with 12 children aged five to 15, 243 people in the 16 to 64 age group, and 23 over-65s.

The latest figures show that 14 people have died with confirmed swine flu so far this season, while another three patients have died from flu type B.

Professor Steve Field, former chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, has criticised the lack of a public awareness campaign about the importance of seasonal flu jabs.

He told the Guardian newspaper that rates of uptake were "shockingly low" and that the public and healthcare professionals were "likely to become complacent after last year's swine flu pandemic wasn't the serious attack on the country that we thought it could be".

The professor urged NHS staff to have the vaccine, as well as pregnant women and patients in other high-risk groups.