HEALTH experts are urging vulnerable people to be vaccinated against swine flu after four victims died in local hospitals.

The number of people being treated for flu symptoms at Queen’s Hospital, Romford, however, has fallen from 20 last week to 13 today.

One person remains in a serious condition in a high dependency unit.

At King George’s Hospital in Goodmayes today, 15 people were admitted to hospital with suspected flu in the past week, with three in intensive care.

The majority of patients have the H1N1 swine flu strain but of the four people who died with flu-like symptoms, it was not the cause of death in any of the cases.

Pregnant women, the elderly or anyone with underlying health issues, such as asthma, are advised to get in touch with their GPs for flu jabs.

A Barking, Havering and Redbridge Trust spokeswoman said: “We have treated some seriously ill people.

“Some people have died but swine flu was not the cause of death.

“They unfortunately had underlying health issues, but it does bring home the importance of getting the message out about hand hygiene and that at-risk people should see their GP for a flu jab.”