Two more swine flu deaths in North

A nine-year-old girl and a 65-year-old woman have become the latest victims of swine flu in the North, it was revealed today.

Both swine flu-related deaths occurred over the past seven days, and both had underlying health conditions, the North's Department of Health said.

The news comes as scientists investigate whether a strain of swine flu linked to a deadly outbreak in Ukraine has mutated.

The World Health Organisation has sent a team of experts to the country following dozens of deaths in just two weeks.

The North's Chief Medical Officer Michael McBride said authorities there will keep an eye on the situation, but is urging calm.

"The situation in the UK hasn't changed" he said. "There's been no change, mutation or shift in this virus - no increase in severity".