Yesterday Sheila Bird pinpointed on this website the key questions that needed answering about swine flu in the UK.

 Today’s report from the Health Protection Agency fails to answer most of them.
 
First, it says that the number of in-hospital H1N1 cases has stabilised at 793, but gives no demographic detail; second, it provides no information at all on in-intensive care unit (in-ICU) cases of H1N1.

Third, it discloses that the cumulative total of 27 deaths in England in patients with H1N1 has increased by one death since last week, but gives no information on sex, age, or other risks of the deceased.

Fourth, it estimates "on an equivalent basis to previous weeks” that there were 110,000 new cases in England last week (range 60,000- 160,000)" but the basis for this computation is still not explained.

Fifth, it provides no information on the daily number, let alone demography, of new hospital admissions for H1N1.

Sixth, comparison of age-distributions for past, recent and “more severe” H1N1 cases is not possible: information is lacking.

Seventh, no new information is provided about the number of persons (and their demography) who have been assigned Tamiflu via the National Pandemic Flu Service which began operation on 23 Jluy 2009.

Eighth, no information on the cumulative number of H1N1 maternities since swine flu reached England in mid April. There have been two H1N1-related maternal deaths. This week's Lancet reports on H1N1 and pregnancy in the USA.