Number of UK swine flu cases passes 500 mark

The number of people with swine flu in the UK rose past the 500 mark today, health officials said.

The Health Protection Agency said 19 further cases in England had been confirmed along with 22 cases in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland, taking the total number of UK cases to 528.

The news comes as it emerged a woman critically ill with swine flu had given birth to a baby prematurely.