Parts of Britain are in the grip of a swine flu epidemic today after the first healthy child died of the virus that is sweeping the country.

Chloe Buckley, six, died within 48 hours of complaining of a sore throat and just a day before her seventh birthday.

She was not given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu after her doctor apparently misdiagnosed her illness as tonsillitis.

It was also announced yesterday that Dr Michael Day, a 64-year-old GP who had been treating swine flu victims, had died after contracting the virus.

Both the little girl and the doctor are believed to have been perfectly healthy before succumbing to swine flu.

Three people with no previous health problems have now died of the illness out of a total of 17 deaths across Britain.

Experts have moved to reassure the public that swine flu is no more contagious than the normal seasonal flu, and for most of those who catch it, the illness will be mild.

‘The vast majority of people will recover quickly by taking paracetamol or ibuprofen, and drinking plenty of fluids,’ said Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA’s GP committee.

Source/Full Story: Mail Online

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