A GP and a six-year-old girl have died after contracting swine flu, taking the number of UK deaths linked to the virus to 17, officials announced today.
Dr Michael Day, a family doctor from Bedfordshire, died on Saturday at Luton and Dunstable hospital.
Chloe Buckley, from north-west London, died on Thursday at St Mary's hospital in Paddington after contracting the virus in the UK.
Along with Sameerah Ahmad from Birmingham, also six, Chloe is one of the youngest victims of swine flu. Children aged between five and 14 are most affected by the virus, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
A postmortem will be needed before health officials can determine whether Chloe had any underlying health conditions, Dr Simon Tanner, NHS London's director of public health, said.
NHS East of England said a swab test confirmed Day had also contracted the H1N1 virus, but the exact cause of death will remain unknown until the coroner's report.
The first British patient without underlying health problems died on Friday after contracting swine flu. The patient, from Essex, died at Basildon and Thurrock University hospital.
The UK has the third-highest number of confirmed cases – almost 10,000 – of swine flu after Mexico, which has 10,262 cases, and the US, which has at least 33,902 confirmed cases. Tanner said Chloe's death would "probably not be the last that we have in this pandemic". She was the sixth person in the capital to die after contracting the H1N1 virus.
"We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family at this difficult time as they come to terms with their loss," said Tanner.
Dr Day's practice, the Priory Gardens health centre, is to contact everyone who has been in close contact with the doctor recently, including patients, NHS East of England said.
They will be assessed for symptoms of swine flu and offered antiviral medication if necessary.
Dr Paul Hassan, senior partner at Priory Gardens, said staff at the practice were "completely devastated".
"Dr Day was a work colleague and also a personal friend to everyone at the practice," he said.
"I know the news will also come as a great shock to our patients, many of whom have known him for many years. Our thoughts at this time are with his wife and family."
Hundreds of thousands more people than those officially recorded are believed to have swine flu. Doctors have warned that rates of infection are reaching epidemic levels in London and the West Midlands. Its rapid spread has prompted the HPA to stop giving updates of the exact numbers infected.
In its last weekly update, on Thursday, the agency said 335 people had been taken to hospital with the virus, 43 of whom were in critical care. Tanner said it was difficult to say exactly how many people had caught the virus now patients were no longer swabbed. Swabbing was abandoned after it was determined that swine flu was widespread.
Tanner emphasised that most people who contracted the virus would experience mild symptoms and feel better within a few days. The advice remained to wash hands regularly and throw away used tissues, he said.
At St Catherine's school in West Drayton, north-west London, headteacher Sara Benn said pupils were struggling to come to terms with the news of Chloe's death. "It is impossible to put into words the sorrow that the whole school feels in such tragic circumstances," said Benn.
"Chloe was a bright and tenacious student with a keen interest in sports. She will be missed by her fellow pupils and her teachers at the school. Our thoughts are with her parents and family at this time. We are working with the council and health authority to support parents and pupils dealing with this devastating news."
