Flu claims life of man who'd never been ill as death toll reaches 50

TEN more people in Scotland have died with flu, figures have revealed, as it emerged that the virus killed a man who relatives said had "never been ill".

Garry Irvine, from Midlothian, collapsed last week, just a day after he had been busy running errands for neighbours.

The devastated family of the 49-year-old held his hands as he slipped away after his life support machine was switched off.

A total of 50 people in Scotland have died with flu this winter, the majority suffering with the swine flu strain.

Figures yesterday revealed that across the UK, 338 people have died with the virus - up from 254 the week before.

The rate of people seeing their GP with flu-like illness remains below expected levels in Scotland, raising hopes that the season may have peaked.

However, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said they remained vigilant in case rates increased again.

Mr Irvine, who lived with his parents Ian, 73, and Mary, 74, in Mayfield, was rushed to hospital after his collapse at home.

Mrs Irvine said: "It was horrible. He's never been ill, he's never had an operation. He had been doing the messages the day before for the neighbours.

"We've not got a clue how he got swine flu."

Mr Irvine was shopping and walking dogs for neighbours last Wednesday morning, before going to bed ill after 3pm.

The next morning he asked his father to call a doctor, Mrs Irvine said.

"The doctor was speaking to him and asking him questions, and then she asked him to sit up. He just collapsed on her.

"She came downstairs and said, 'I don't know what to say, I think he's gone'. We got such a shock, we couldn't understand how he went so quickly. I burst out crying and ran out into the street."

Mr Irvine was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and put on a life-support machine, but his family was warned there was nothing doctors could do and the equipment was switched off that night.

Ian and Mary, their son Colin, 41, daughter Angela, 45, and three of their five grandchildren, held Mr Irvine's hands as he lost his fight for life.

Yesterday's figures revealed that there were 47.9 consultations for flu-like illness per 100,000 of the population in Scotland - up from 42.9 the previous week but below the threshold of 50 expected in a normal flu season.

Children had higher consultation rates, with those aged one to four seeing consultations increase from 131 to 235 per 100,000. But among under-ones, the rate dropped from 286 to 48 per 100,000.

In the past week, nine people needed intensive care treatment for flu - down from 29 admitted in the previous week.In total, 154 people have required intensive care treatment this flu season.

The ten new deaths come after 13 were reported the previous week and a high of 17 the week before that.

"Every death is deeply regrettable, but again we are starting to see that number come down from the high of 17 in one week we reported two weeks ago," Ms Sturgeon said.

"The epidemiologists say that is not out of line with what we would expect to see at this time of year."