Chef put into quarantine after swine flu fear on University of Sussex campus (From The Argus)

Chef put into quarantine after swine flu fear on University of Sussex campus

8:00am Wednesday 29th April 2009 in Search By Siobhan Ryan

A Mexican chef was put into quarantine after showing signs of the swine flu virus.

Gabriel Gutierrez had recently returned to work at the Institute of Development Studies, based at the University of Sussex after a visit back home to Mexico.

He was sent home as a precaution after developing flu like symptoms.

It is thought Mr Gutierrez, a member of the facilities department, had been preparing food for students and academics before he was quarantined.

Staff at the institute, which leads research and teaching on international development, have been urged to keep calm.

In an email to workers, institute director Lawrence Haddad said: “ As you may be aware, a member of IDS staff has been quarantined at home with suspected swine flu.

“We will know in the next few days if it is a confirmed case or a false alarm and will notify you as soon as possible.

“I realise that many of you may be concerned about this and we have taken advice from the Health Protection Agency. (HPA).

“They have advised us that no specific action is required at present other than for the team who work directly with the individual and only if they should experience any flu like symptoms.

“Please note that the virus is passed by human contact alone and cannot be passed through food or other means.”

A spokesman from the institute confirmed that Mr Gutierrez had already undergone tests to establish if he had contracted the virus.

His first test for the swine flu strain came back negative but results for a second test are expected today.

Students on campus were alarmed when they heard the news.

Final year business and management student Melanie Van Der Waals, 20, said: “It is really worrying.

“I don't want to eat anything on campus at the moment and I'm going to avoid the institute building.”

Politics and philosophy student Amy Lecomber, 22, said: “It would be easy to get carried away and panic but we should probably wait and see what happens with the results, but I was horrified when I heard.”

Stefan Elbe, a Reader in International Relations at the University of Sussex and an expert in health security and pandemic preparedness, said people should remain calm.

He said: “The UK is comparatively well prepared. For five years the UK government has taken the threat of avian (H5N1) influenza very seriously.

“Those efforts will now also place the country well to respond to swine flu. We are certainly better prepared than in previous times of human history, when many medicines that we take for granted today were not available.”

The swine flu virus has already killed more than 150 people in Mexico and cases have been confirmed in the UK, US and other parts of Europe.

The HPA is urging anyone who has recently travelled to the affected areas and is experiencing flu-like illness should stay at home to limit contact with others and seek medical advice from a local health professional or by contacting NHS Direct on 0845 4647.