New hunt for city swine flu victims

Published on Friday 29 May 2009 09:57

TWO Greek students confirmed as having swine flu are now believed to have contracted the disease in Edinburgh.

Health officials are currently trying to track down all the people who were in contact with the two students from Heriot-Watt University, who are being treated for the H1N1 virus in Greece.

Tests are already being conducted on some city students, after the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said the two Greek students had "most likely" acquired the infection in Edinburgh.

The task of tracking down those in contact with the two men, aged 19 and 21, has been further complicated by the fact that they attended several parties before flying back to Greece on Sunday.

The total number of confirmed cases in Scotland remains at 14, and tests on those identified as being in contact with the Greek students are expected in the next few days.

The pair, who were engineering students at Heriot-Watt's Riccarton campus, are understood to have shown symptoms of the disease on the plane back to Greece.

The country's health minister, Dmitris Avramapoulos, later confirmed they had contracted H1N1 flu, and that tests were being carried out on passengers who sat near them on the plane.

University and health officials are now attempting to trace anyone who may have come into contact with the two men before they left Edinburgh.

They could face a daunting task, however. It is understood the pair had been "partying hard" after completing their course and could have been in contact with a lot of people.

"They had been to a number of parties," said a source.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The university and public health officials are currently working to identify close contacts of the affected students and will issue appropriate advice to all staff and students."

A spokeswoman for the university said: "Heriot-Watt University has been working proactively with all of the relevant health and governmental bodies concerned over the recently announced students who have tested positively for H1N1, or swine flu.

"The two students are both in Greece following the end of the academic year, and were not resident on campus prior to their departure. The university is working with NHS Lothian, who are involved in testing those believed to have been in contact with the two students prior to their departure, including some Heriot-Watt students.

"At present, the university continues to operate as normal. We are liaising closely with Public Health Scotland, who will advise us should the situation change."

Only one case had been confirmed in Greece previously – a 19-year-old Greek student who was diagnosed with the virus after flying home from the United States. He has since been released from the hospital.

There are currently seven cases under investigation in the Lothians.