A SCHOOL for children with learning difficulties in Southampton has been closed due to swine flu.

One staff member at Rosewood School has been struck down with the potentially deadly virus.

A pupil is also suspected to have having contracted it and understood to be in a "serious" condition.

The 30-place school caters for children aged two to 19 with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

There are currently twenty seven pupils on roll, fifteen boys and twelve girls.

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The special school is run by the Rose Road Association and recently received top marks from Ofsted.

Southampton City Council buys and funds places.

Parents have been told the school will remain closed until further notice.

Headteacher Jenny Boyd said:: “Following one confirmed and one suspected case of swine flu in the school community, we have made the difficult and exceptional decision to close the school.

“We have taken advice from all relevant health professional involved with our students and all are in agreement with the closure to protect this particularly vulnerable group of children. The closure impacts on pupils only; staff continue to be in school.”

Cherie Blair, wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, has today been confirmed as diagnosed with suspected swine flu.

There have been a surge calls to NHS Direct over swine flu in recent days.

On Sunday, the service received 26,953 calls. Yesterday NHS Direct received 47,701 calls.

The rate of influenza-like illness is highest among those aged five to 14.

There have been 29 deaths in the UK so far linked to swine flu.

The Government has said a vaccine should begin arriving at the end of August.