The flu-like illness rate for GP consultations rose to 42.8 cases per 100,000 last week, compared with 39.1 the week before.

There were an estimated 78,000 swine flu cases in England last week. This is a 56% rise from last week. However, the HPA has warned that there remains considerable uncertainty about the accuracy of these estimates.

At a media briefing this week results were presented of a new analysis of the 97 deaths so far from swine flu in England.

Around two thirds of these deaths have occurred in patients with the same characteristics as those being prioritised for swine flu vaccination.

This suggests that the groups chosen for vaccination priority are appropriate to the profile of the pandemic, Sir Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer for England, said.