Vaccines only protect against specific strains, and every so often, the virus mutates significantly to form an altogether different, and nastier version. Six years ago, the discovery of so-called "bird flu" in Hong Kong sent shock waves around the world because of the high death rate - six deaths out of 18 reported cases - but no further cases have been reported of the AH5N1 virus in humans.But another new strain from Asia has now been recorded, and has been implicated in the deaths of half a dozen children in Britain. And after several quiet years, the number of flu cases is rising. Indeed, experts have just warned doctors to prepare for a major outbreak of this flu that could affect more than six million people nationwide."For the last three years, we have seen very low levels of flu in the UK, but flu activity has started earlier than normal this year, so we are expecting to see more cases. Symptoms include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches.

Children in particular can have additional symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and ear infections. Complications triggered by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and a worsening of chronic conditions such as heart failure, asthma and diabetes. It is estimated that, in an average year, there are around 4,000 deaths due to flu, but in a bad year that can rise to more than 20,000.One of the obstacles to getting to grips with flu is that the virus is constantly changing and evolving. As a result of that drop in numbers, and the arrival of the flu vaccine, fears and concerns about the disease have declined, too. Flu is often seen now as being no more serious than a bad cold.But unlike the common cold, flu can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications in many of its victims, especially the vulnerable, such as the elderly, the very young and the infirm.

There has never been such an epidemic since, and although there have been a number of smaller outbreaks, recent years have seen a decline in reported cases. The British Government has voted repeatedly to support the code but has yet to implement it fully in law, according to Unicef.* An analysis of the long-term benefits of breast feeding by the Latin American Centre for Perinatology and Human Development found that a failure to be breast-fed did not substantially increase the risk of becoming overweight.. Babies who are breast fed are less likely to grow up as obese adults, scientists have found. 3 min: First chance to spread play but Matt Dawson spills his pass to hand a scrum to France. "Jonny showed great character, like all the team," Woodward said.Fabien Galthi?the French captain and scrum-half, who at 34 is now likely to retire, said: "I do not know who will win, but I hope it will be a great occasion The English deserve to be there They put so much pressure on us They were the better team.".

• The average rate of breathing for a man is 11 times a minute
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• What one has to look at is an accumulation of evidence
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• How does she feel about the treatment her son has received? Excellent she says
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• Who Murdered Chaucer? is a meaty hugely enjoyable read
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• The officer told him not to persecute himself
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• Look at Brunelleschi painter sculptor engineer and architect
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• All main regional parties agree that the statute is outdated
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• But it is happening at five times the speed
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• From a British perspective the relationship is less fraught
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• It is also slashing costs across the group
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