According to Australian health officials, the number of cases of severe swine flu in New South Wales has been increasing.

A number of people have been admitted to intensive care, with seven confirmed infected with H1N1 virus, and one suspected of infection just recently, of which included two pregnant women.

Jeremy McAnulty, health department's doctor for New South Wales said although the number of cases is low compared to the previous year, there is an increasing rise in the incidence of swine flu cases.

He advised people to get immunized so that they will be protected against the risk of infection.

We're hopeful however that because people got infected last year, perhaps 20 or 30 per cent of the population got infected from the pandemic last year and another proportion has been vaccinated, then we won't see as severe a season as this year.

But we don't know that for sure and we know if you're not protected through immunity, then you are at risk of getting infection, said Dr McAnulty.

Medicine