Flu is confirmed in school child (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Flu is confirmed in school child

5:01pm Friday 3rd July 2009 in

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Schools in the Bradford district hit by swine flu are being advised to stay open.

Parents of children who attend Home Farm Primary School, in Cooper Lane, Buttershaw, have been informed that a pupil has tested positive, but the school will remain open.

A spokesman for NHS Bradford and Airedale said: “We can confirm that a pupil at Home Farm Primary School, Bradford, has tested positive for swine flu. The pupil is being treated at home with anti virals (Tamiflu) and is responding well to treatment. “The school will remain open. Following Department of Health guidance, schools will only close if a significant number of pupils or teachers are ill. Anyone who thinks they may have symptoms of flu should stay at home and use the NHS symptom checker online at nhs.uk.

“If they are still worried, people should contact their GP or NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 for advice.”

Sue Colman, Bradford Council’s assistant director for services to children and young people, said: “We have been advised that schools should not close because of individual cases of swine flu and the school remains open.

“No other cases have been diagnosed within the school and there is no evidence that the virus has spread.

“We have contacted parents to make them aware of the situation and inform them of health advice. Parents are advised that if their children show any flu-like symptoms they should not bring them into school but either contact their GP by phone or ring NHS Direct for advice and information.”

Yesterday it was announced a 19-year-old south London man had become the fourth person in the UK to die after contracting swine flu.

The teenager, who had serious underlying health problems, tested positive for the virus following his death on Wednesday and is the first person to die with swine flu in the capital.

The Government has signed contracts with GSK and Baxter for the supply of 130 million doses of swine flu vaccine.

The Government’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson has warned the public to avoid panic-buying “counterfeit” anti-swine flu drugs online.

He said Britain had a massive stockpile of Tamiflu and would be one of the first countries to have access to a vaccine, with the first supplies arriving at the end of next month.