US swine flu deaths top 4000

Swine flu kills nearly 4000 in US

Relevant offers

Swine Flu

Swine flu pandemic status to end - report Swine flu 'remains a threat' Swine flu 13 times more dangerous when pregnant Researchers pinpoint swine flu death risk Swine flu kills 12,000 worldwide Obamas get swine flu jabs Five swine flu deaths during hajj Pandas protected from swine flu Europe swine flu deaths 'double' Santas demand swine flu vaccine

US health officials say that 4000 or more Americans are likely to have died from swine flu - about four times the estimate they've been using.

The new, higher figure was first reported by The New York Times. It includes deaths caused by complications related to swine flu, including pneumonia and bacterial infections.

Until now, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had conservatively put the US swine flu death count at more than 1000. Officials said this week they're working on an even more accurate calculation.

The CDC says "many millions" of Americans have caught the pandemic flu virus since it first appeared in April.

- AP