Number of confirmed cases in Hampshire doubles (From Daily Echo)

Number of confirmed cases in Hampshire doubles

9:20am Thursday 2nd July 2009 in

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A THIRD child at a Hampshire junior school has contracted swine flu, as the number of confirmed cases in the county has more than doubled.

The youngster is in the same year group as the previous two confirmed cases at Tanners Brook Junior School in Millbrook, Southampton.

Health chiefs say they are monitoring the situation, but they are still advising the school there is no need to close its doors.

There have now been 64 confirmed cases in Hampshire – up from yesterday’s figure of 31.

Meanwhile, a third Hampshire school has been indirectly affected by the swine flu outbreak.

Although there have been no confirmed cases amongst current staff or pupils, letters have been sent to parents at Testwood Sports College in Totton, saying there have been three confirmed cases with links to the school.

A former Year 11 pupil, a parent and a member of the public who uses the school facilities in the evening have all gone down with the virus.

Health authorities have told the college that, with no actual cases on site, it is perfectly safe to stay open.

Parents have been given advice leaflets and have been told that if their youngsters display any flu-like symptoms they should be kept at home and the doctor called.

The Daily Echo was unable to contact Testwood for comment.

Anyone calling the school is put through to a recorded message urging parents not to keep their children off school.

Earlier this week, the Daily Echo revealed swine flu had hit Cantell Maths and Computing College in Bassett, Southampton.

Year 9 pupil Tanya Lacy, 13, was diagnosed with the A/H1N1 virus at the weekend and is at home recovering.

The school has also remained open on the advice of health officials.

All three of the infected youngsters at Tanners Brook are in Year 6.

The latest child had been given a preventative course of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, but has now also been confirmed as having the infection.

A spokesman for Southampton’s Princess Anne Hospital, where a midwife developed the disease after a trip to the USA, last night said there had been no further cases reported.

Up to 17 members of staff in the maternity unit were given Tamiflu as a precaution, while the affected midwife recovered at home.