Four people die after contracting H1N1 swine flu virus in West Midlands, England

November 6, 2009

Four people from the NHS West Midlands in England have died after contracting the H1N1 swine flu virus. With these deaths, the number of people that have been killed in the West Midlands from the disease has now increased to 19.

NHS West Midlands has said that the number of people admitted to hospitals in the region with the disease this week was 203, whereas last week there were 146. It was also said that the number of inpatients taken into hospitals in the area was 95 from this Wednesday onwards.

Dr. Rashmi Shukla, the regional director of Public Health in the National Health Service, said about the incident: "We would expect to see a rise in respiratory illness, such as swine flu, at this time of year, and we would like to remind people that they should continue to adhere to good respiratory and hand hygiene practices to reduce chances of the virus spreading.

"Unfortunately there have been a further four swine-flu related deaths and our thoughts are with the families of these patients at this very sad time. The vaccination programme has started well across the West Midlands. It is very important that frontline health and social care workers in the West Midlands have this vaccine to protect themselves, their families and their patients."