The government today bolstered the UK's defences against a flu pandemic by unveiling plans to treat half the population with anti-viral drugs.

The health secretary, Alan Johnson, told parliament of plans to double the stockpile of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, which would raise the proportion of the population covered from 25% to 50%.

"I can tell the House today that the government is planning to double the stock of anti-virals, to cover at least half of the population," Johnson said.

Johnson said a future pandemic was one of the "most severe risks currently facing the UK".

He said the new national framework for pandemic flu was based on an assumption that 25-50% of the population may be infected, and that up to 2.5% of those could die.

Experts predict that up to 750,000 extra deaths could occur in the UK over 15 weeks.

 Source : Guardian UK