Hospitals across the Black Country have been forced to cancel operations as they struggle to deal with a surge in emergency patients due to winter illnesses, it emerged today.

Critical care units at hospitals across the West Midlands are struggling to cope with the swine flu outbreak, with reports that no beds are available for admissions.

Nine patients were today seriously ill and suspected of suffering from swine flu on a Black Country hospital ward where a woman with the disease died.

Almost 40 cases of swine flu have been reported in the West Midlands in the space of a week, it has emerged.

Hospitals and health trusts across the West Midlands forked out almost £5 million on the swine flu outbreak, it emerged today.

Four more people have died after contracting swine flu in the West Midlands, it emerged today, as cases of those infected continued to rise.

A West Midland schoolboy has died after contracting meningitis, it emerged today.

The first batches of the swine flu vaccine were being given out at GP surgeries in the West Midlands today.

Letters will start to go out over the next few weeks telling people in the West Midlands when they will receive swine flu jabs.

Health and council workers are being asked to list their skills and qualifications so they can take on other jobs if dozens go off sick with swine flu, it emerged today.