Third swine flu case confirmed in Scotland

Published on Friday 1 May 2009 18:06

A TOTAL of 29 people in Scotland were under investigation as possible cases of swine flu today as an NHS worker was confirmed as Britain's first person-to-person transfer of the virus.

Graeme Pacitti, 24, is Scotland's third victim of the virus and is thought to have contracted it from a friend who was recently in Mexico.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the figure of possible cases was broadly similar to yesterday.

She gave a regional breakdown of the possible cases.

Ayrshire and Arran area health board has three, Borders one, Fife three, Forth Valley eight, Grampian five, Greater Glasgow four, Highland one, Lanarkshire one, Lothians three and none in Tayside.

Before her update, Ms Sturgeon chaired a summit gathering in Edinburgh of public bodies, opposition party leaders and business interests to discuss the situation.

Similar meetings will be held weekly as long as the scare continues.

Ms Sturgeon said: "While we remain very alert, very vigilant, and continue to plan for what might lie ahead, we are still very much in Scotland in the containment phase, trying to identify possible cases and stop the infection spreading.

"On the evidence we have so far, that seems to be having some success, certainly in buying us more time and allowing other developments to take place."

Mr Pacitti tested positive for the virus after coming into contact with football team-mate Iain Askham, who fell ill after his honeymoon in Cancun.

Mr Askham and his new wife Dawn, from Polmont, near Falkirk, were released from hospital yesterday after spending five nights in isolation.

Meanwhile, five pupils at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh were being kept at home as a precaution after they came into contact with someone recommended to be tested for swine flu.