Sussex swine flu cases mount up (From The Argus)

Sussex swine flu cases mount up

3:00pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(4)

The number of swine flu cases in Sussex is continuing to rise as the virus sweeps across the country.

Health bosses have now abandoned testing suspected cases in favour of treating anyone coming forward with flu-like symptoms with the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

In Brighton and Hove, 40 doses of the drug were handed out from Hove Town Hall over the weekend as more and more suspected cases arise.

The Government has warned that the virus cannot be contained and that the number of new cases could reach 100,000 a day by the end of next month.

Schools across the county are already dealing with numerous potential cases of the virus.

Two children are being treated with Tamiflu after returning from a residential activity centre where there had been a swine flu outbreak.

The youngsters, both Year 6 pupils at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School in Rottingdean, had gone to the Windmill Hill Activity Centre in Hailsham for a five-day stay last week.

Staff at the school had been informed of the previous outbreak and had informed parents of the situation prior to the trip but all the children had attended as planned.

They returned from the trip on Friday but on Monday seven children were off sick and another child was sent home during the day.

Headteacher Elizabeth Prior confirmed that two of the children were being treated with Tamiflu but stressed that the cases were not confirmed.

She said: “At this time of year the children are tired, they have worked very hard and have worked through this heat so it is normal for them to go off sick.”

A spokesman for PGL Travel, which runs the centre, said its staff had carried out their infection control procedures as directed by the Health Protection Agency and disinfected communal areas and other areas.

Across the county other schools are dealing with regular reports of new suspected cases.

Other schools have had suspected cases reported, including Brighton College, Cardinal Newman School in Hove, Heene First School in Worthing and Willingdon Community School in Eastbourne.

Some worried parents at Oakmeeds Community College in Burgess Hill told The Argus they were considering taking their children out of school for the rest of the term after two reports of swine flu cases.

One student, believed to be in Year 10, is confirmed to have the virus while the other remains a suspected case.

Both pupils have been given antiviral treatment and are recovering at home.

People showing signs of flu are asked to phone their GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647 and not visit the collection points, surgeries or hospitals in person.

Click here for our special section for news on swine flu in Brighton, Hove and Sussex.