Is the swine flu 'crisis' being blown out of proportion?

Swine flu is everywhere you look - everywhere in the news that is! There is no doubting that with it being confirmed on 3 continents it deserves press coverage but is it as life threatening as some are making out?

Reporting worrying statistics like as many as 4 in 10 could be infected by the virus if it becomes a pandemic has created panic with UK residents. Actor Stephen Fry has urged people to 'be sensible and not to earn Twitter a bad reputation.' in a bid to stem the false rumours about the outbreak via the popular social networking site.

As the WHO (World Health Organisation) raised the alert level to phase five, one short announcing it as a pandemic, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson said he was "concerned but not alarmed".

The Government's Chief Medical Officer explained that while he expects to see many more cases of the virus in the UK, most will make a full recovery.

Some of the press coverage has frightened some people, especially those with children or elderly parents, however, the fact remains that to date the number of confirmed deaths is less than 10. While the UK now has 5 confirmed cases of swine flu, it has been suggested that the number of new hospital admissions in Mexico, where the spread of the virus started, is declining.

Sir Liam Donaldson explained to BBC Breakfast "Most people who get flu, even a new strain of flu, will make a good recovery. It's a nasty illness but it's short and they will recover."

He added: "To put things in proportion, in any flu, even the seasonal flu, there are some deaths, often of elderly people and the very frail. What we will see is many more cases, but on the whole most people make a good recovery from flu."

The two honeymooners with the first confirmed cases of swine flu in the UK are said to be "recovering well" in hospital while the all clear has been given to all but one of the people who came into contact with Iain and Dawn Askham after they arrived home from Mexico. Results for the remaining person have still to be confirmed but it is expected that they, too, will be given the all clear.

So, while the virus does appear to be spreading quickly throughout the world the number of confirmed cases remains quite low considering the world population. Closer to home we've had 5 confirmed cases out of a population of nearly 61 million.

You can follow an interactive timeline map of the virus on the BBC website which is updated regularly with new information.

So the advice seems to be not to panic. Only a very small percentage of the world is infected, and of those, the majority appear to be making a full recovery - much like the seasonal flu. People are, however, advised to take precautions to protect yourself.

Wash your hands regularly and catch a cough or sneeze in a tissue and throw it in the bin, much as you would to prevent the spread of the common cold.