Scotland confirms fourth case of swine flu

Published on Sunday 3 May 2009 13:35

A fourth case of swine flu has been confirmed in Scotland, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said today.

The man lives in the Ayrshire and Arran health board area and was identified yesterday as a probable case.

He has no connection to the three Scottish cases which have previously been confirmed.

He is a travel-related case, having flown back from the USA to Birmingham last Monday, and then on to Glasgow airport on Thursday, by which time he was showing symptoms of the virus.

Miss Sturgeon said: "This person had travelled to an affected area of the United States and I would like to stress that we still have only one confirmed case of person-to-person spread in Scotland.

"The risk to the general public from this strain of influenza is therefore very low and I would like to remind people to remain calm and continue taking sensible hygiene precautions."

Health Protection Scotland is currently working to trace the close contacts of this person, including people who were on the same flight from Birmingham to Glasgow last Thursday.

Ms Sturgeon stressed that the risk is "very small" but urged anyone who was on this flight should contact NHS 24 immediately.