A pregnant London woman who became seriously ill after contracting swine flu gave birth before dying, it emerged today.

Another baby, aged six months, is understood to have died in the capital after becoming infected, as have two adults.

The four fatalities in London are among 29 deaths that have been linked to the H1N1 virus in Britain, with the Government predicting that 65,000 could die in the first wave of the pandemic.

The cases emerged as the Government said that some schools could remain closed in September if swine flu escalates over the summer.

Schools across the country begin breaking up for the summer holidays today. But the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) said that although it expected schools and nurseries to open as usual at the start of the academic year, it could not be certain what the situation would be in the autumn.

The 39-year-old pregnant woman, who died at Whipps Cross Hospital on Monday, is one of four new swine flu fatalities to be identified in London, taking the total in the capital to ten. Her baby, who was born extremely prematurely, is fighting for life in intensive care.

The woman was understood to have been left paraplegic after a car crash a number of years ago. Relatives of the woman, who is thought to be originally from Bangladesh, are said to be looking after her five other children.

A spokesman for Whipps Cross said: “Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust can confirm that a 39-year-old woman passed away on July 13, 2009, and that she was infected with pandemic H1N1."

The rate of reported illness in London, the worst-affected part of the country, is far exceeding that expected in a typical winter flu season, reaching epidemic levels.

The youngest victim is understood to be a baby who died at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead last week, who was less than six months old.

The other latest cases include a 70-year-old man who died at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel on Tuesday and another adult patient who died at St Thomas’ Hospital, Lambeth, on Friday last week. All had serious underlying health conditions but had tested positive for swine flu.

The National Childbirth Trust has issued guidance to pregnant women about the risks of swine flu, as they could be particularly susceptible to infection in the third trimester — weeks 28 to 40 — of pregnancy. There is also evidence that flu infection is likely to be longer lasting and more severe in pregnant women.

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