GREENWICH and Lewisham are among the third and sixth hardest hit by the swine flu pandemic, figures have revealed.

According to figures from Nottingham University’s Division of Primary Care, Greenwich is the third worst affected area in the UK, with 441 out of 100,000 people reporting flu symptons to their GP every week.

Lewisham came in sixth place, with 424 out of 100,000 people suffering from flu.

Health trusts in Greenwich and Lewisham agree this could be because of the area’s dense population and high level of young people living there.

But the Health Protection Agency (HPA) says there is no definitive reason why the two boroughs have been hit harder than other parts of the country.

An HPA spokeswoman said: “Obviously, children are important in the spread of flu.

“Children have lower levels of mouth and hand hygiene and the virus is easily spread in schools.

“Schoolchildren then spread the virus to their families and it goes on from there.

“With the break-up of the schools for summer it may reduce some of the spread, but it’s difficult to predict.”

A 19-year-old man from Lewisham, who suffered serious underlying health problems, tested positive for the virus following his death on July 1.

The teenager was the first person with the virus to die in London.

Despite swine flu reaching pandemic levels, NHS Lewisham and NHS Greenwich say the health service is coping well and there are sufficient stocks of anti-viral drug Tamiflu.

However, a walk-in health centre in New Cross has been forced to close on Saturdays so staff can concentrate on services dedicated to handling the rising numbers of swine flu.

For the same reasons a sexual health clinic at Downham Health and Leisure Centre, Moorside Road, Downham, has been forced to close temporarily.

The Primary Care Centre, Hawstead Road, Catford, has also been forced to reduce its opening hours.

For more information on swine flu and a free diagnosis, visit direct.gov.uk/pandemicflu