Shropshire has the highest rate of people consulting their GPs about suspected swine flu cases in the region, latest figures suggested today.

A report from NHS West Midlands shows that the rate of new cases of swine flu has begun to increase across the region.

And across the region there has been an increase in patients presenting at primary care centres with influenza-like symptoms.

In the Shropshire County Primary Care Trust area, there were 20 GP consultations per 100,000 population in the week ending September 20.

The regional average was 15, while the average for England and Wales was 16.5.

Eleven patients were being treated in regional hospitals last week, but there have been no swine flu deaths, leaving the regional total unchanged at nine.

An NHS West Midlands spokesman said: “This is not impacting on normal service delivery and there has not been an increase in cases admitted to hospital in the last week.

“The PCT currently has nine antiviral collection points open, which is in line with the current level of need. Plans are in place to open more collection points to meet any increase in demand.”

On Friday it was announced that a swine flu vaccine to be used in the UK had been approved by European regulators.

The European Medicines Agency recommended to the European Commission that Pandemrix, made by GlaxoSmithKline, be granted a licence for use across Europe, including the UK.

The European Commission is expected to rubber-stamp the decision on the vaccine in the next few weeks.

GSK has not yet delivered stocks of its vaccine to the Government, a spokesman for the Department of Health said.

Another vaccine intended for use in the UK, made by Baxter, is still being considered by the European Medicines Agency and some stocks of it have already arrived. It is not yet clear when the swine flu vaccine will be available to patients in the UK.

The Government had been hoping to start vaccinating people in high-risk groups, such as those with asthma and diabetes, and health workers, in October.