Six people including one baby have died of AH1N1 influenza in the Netherlands over the past week.

The National Institute for Public Health, which announced the figures, adds that all six were affected by other ailments when they contracted the flu. The other victims were three children aged 7, 9 and 14, a 60-year-old woman and a man aged 72.

The institute says the flu epidemic is not spreading fast. The number of hospitalisations of flu sufferers with complications went up only very slightly last week from 291 the previous week to 359.

So far 28 people have died of the flu, most of whom were in poor health when they fell ill.

A programme of flu inoculation for children younger than 5 will kick off on Monday. Babies up to 6 months old will not be inoculated, but their families will.

Waiting for the flu jab (ANP Photo)