A baby, fighting for his life after being diagnosed with swine flu, had earlier been sent home twice from hospital.

The parents of five-week-old Harvey Flanagan, said that they had twice taken him to a hospital in their area with breathing problems but both times he was sent home. Now, Harvey is fighting for his life, battling the H1N1 virus and bronchiolitis.

His parents initially took him to Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport on the advice of their GP after their son had breathing problems. He was sent home but they returned the next day when his breathing worsened. Again he was sent home but his condition continued to deteriorate and he was eventually admitted to the nearby Tameside Hospital, before being transferred to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where he is described as critical but stable on a life support machine.

Harvey's father, Andrew, said that if they had not persisted in seeking medical attention, their son could have died. Harvey is in the same hospital as Chantelle McAdam, who is also in intensive care after being diagnosed with swine flu. Nationally, the number of cases of swine flu has already beaten the amount at the height of last winter's pandemic.

Source: www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Hospital-39sent-Swine-Flu-baby.6669056.jp