Winter flu death toll topped 600

By Nick Triggle Health Correspondent, BBC News

Last winter’s flu outbreak claimed 602 lives in the UK, with more than 70% of the deaths among 15- to 64-year-olds, Health Protection Agency figures show.

Flu normally hits older people, but last winter it acted differently as the main strain was swine flu, which the elderly have some resistance to.

The HPA figures also show just 50% of under-65s in at-risk groups in England and Wales were immunised against flu.

Officials said the vaccination uptake figures were “very concerning”.