Scottish swine flu cases top 300

Published on Wednesday 10 June 2009 22:02

THE number of people infected with swine flu in Scotland rose to more than 300 yesterday, with the largest daily increase in cases since the outbreak began.

The Scottish Government said there had been 47 new confirmed cases, taking the number of people infected to 311.

The record increase came as the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) consulted governments about the rising rate of infection.

The WHO has convened an emergency meeting of experts in Geneva this afternoon, an indication that the United Nations agency may be poised to declare the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years.

Across the UK, there are now nearly 800 confirmed cases. The new infections in Scotland include a number of school pupils and three healthcare workers.

Investigations are continuing into a suspected case involving an inmate at Barlinnie prison in Glasgow. The prisoner has been given Tamiflu medication and is being kept in isolation.

A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said the man had been in contact with a confirmed case of swine flu. The inmate's identity and length of his sentence were not disclosed.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the rise in infections was "as expected" and that the government was working to refine its "strategy of containment".

Writing in The Scotsman, microbiologist Professor Hugh Pennington said he expected the spread of the virus to "fade" as schools closed for the summer. However, he warned it may return during the winter months.

Yesterday's new cases were largely confined to the west coast, with 41 infections in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area.

There were four cases in Highland, and one each in Lothian and Ayrshire and Arran. All were non-travel related.

Ten patients are in hospital. Two people were discharged yesterday, with one new admission.

The government confirmed that children from St David's Primary and Cochrane Castle Primary in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, had been asked to stay at home for seven days and issued with Tamiflu.

The same measures apply to P3 and P7 pupils from Lorne Street Primary in Kingston, Glasgow, and S5 and a number of S6 pupils from Port Glasgow High School, Renfrewshire.

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