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It should be no surprise that swine flu is back. In recent days there has been a spate of headlines speaking of "shocked" doctors, alarmed by the return of "deadly" swine flu. What should we make of this, and should we be worried?

BBC

Fighting for her life: Girl, 9, is latest victim of swine flu epidemic sweeping Britain Mail

Bride suffers 'Swine Flu' Tragedy

A HEARTBROKEN bride told today how her husband died of suspected swine flu - just 10 days after they got married.

Martin Clorley, 37, fell ill two days after exchanging vows with the love of his life Nicola Bartley and his condition deteriorated rapidly.

Devastated Nicola, 39, said: "I've got a pile of wedding cards and another pile of sympathy cards. It's like it's not real. It's just like I'm talking about someone else.

"It's so cruel that he won't see his daughters growing up. I miss him terribly."

The couple, who had been together for 12 years, tied the knot on December 16 at Wrexham Register Office, North Wales.

SUN

Swine flu victim was ‘hours from death’

A mum-of-one has told of her horror at learning she had been close to death after contracting swine flu.

Emma Whittle, 21, of Inkerman Street in Ashton, Preston, was told that doctors had given her just a 30% chance of surviving the deadly illness after being rushed into hospital before Christmas.

She spent four days in a drug-induced coma as medics battled to pump oxygen into her blood in a battle to keep her alive.

The nursery worker was only released from Blackpool Victoria hospital on Saturday after more than a fortnight of battling the illness.

LEP

Swine flu kills 26 year old

A YOUNG woman from Hemel Hempstead is suspected to have become the latest victim of swine flu.

‘Fit and healthy’ animal trainer Caroline Benoist was sent home from her job at Leavesden Studios the week before Christmas because she was feeling unwell.

Writing to friends on her Facebook page on December 17, her final status update read: ‘Loving being back home even if I do feel like death warmed up!’.

The 26 year old, whose film credits include the Harry Potter movies, died just over one week later.

Hemeltoday

Some GP surgeries are running out of flu vaccine, admits government

Suppliers have been asked to gather any leftover flu jabs licensed for use in the UK from factories across Europe Guardian

'Worried well' should be banned from having flu jab says leading GP www.telegraph.co.uk

Gloucestershire swine flu mother 'breathing on own'

A new mother from Gloucestershire who was put in a coma after she contracted swine flu is now breathing on her own.

Receptionist Leanne Gunnell, 21, became ill when she was six-and-a-half months pregnant.

Doctors put her into a coma to save her unborn child. Baby Faith was delivered by caesarean at 28 weeks weighing 3lb (1.4kg).

Ms Gunnell's mother, Sharon, said Faith was expected to be allowed to leave hospital in a few weeks.

BBC

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Very Effective: Study

Canadian researchers focused on children and younger adults

Bloomberg

£239m spent on swine flu vaccine

The Government spent £239 million on swine flu vaccine, official figures show.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) ordered the Department of Health to release the data after it failed to comply with a freedom of information (FOI) request.

The Government has always cited commercial confidentiality as a reason for not disclosing the information, but the ICO ruled it was in the public interest.

The department confirmed it had spent £239 million on the jab up to the end of vaccine deliveries in April 2010. The money was paid to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for its Pandemrix vaccine, and Baxter for Celvapan.

Some 90 million doses were ordered by the UK government, with most of the vaccine supplied by GSK.

In April 2010, the Government announced it had struck a deal with GSK to cancel part of its massive order for the vaccine, which saved the UK approximately one third of the original value of the orders with GSK.

However, there were still many leftover doses and some of these have been used this flu season after stocks of the seasonal flu jab ran low.

HarrowObserver

Miracle cure for swine flu man airlifted abroad

AN IRISH swine flu victim who was airlifted to Sweden for specialist treatment last week is making a miraculous recovery.

Padraig Gregan (32) was transferred to Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm last week after suffering major deterioration to his lungs because of the virus.

herald.ie