Two more 'Edinburgh Group' students on swine flu watch

Published on Saturday 30 May 2009 11:18

TWO Greek Cypriots who had been studying in Edinburgh are being monitored by doctors over fears they may have contracted swine flu before flying home.

Six students, dubbed the Edinburgh Group, returned to Greece on the same flight on Sunday.

Two of the students, a 19-year-old man and a 21-year-old man who studied engineering at Heriot-Watt University, have tested positive for the Influenza A (H1N1) virus and are currently being treated at hospitals in Cyprus and Thessaloniki.

Both are said to be responding well to treatment and are expected to make a full recovery.

The news comes as it emerged that an American man who arrived in Edinburgh via Dublin on 25 May was currently being tested for the virus.

NHS Lothian was also testing a schoolboy who attends Eton College for the virus, who returned to the Capital yesterday.

The Greek students are believed to have contracted the disease in Edinburgh. NHS Lothian yesterday confirmed that tests on seven possible cases, some of whom were contacts of two Greek students, had all now been "declassified" – meaning there was no further suspicion of swine flu.

Another student has now been tested for the disease in Cyprus. Initial test results on the female student have come back negative, although she is still being classed as a case under investigation until the final results are released by the Pasteur Laboratory in Greece. She is being held at a ward in Limassol General Hospital set up especially to deal with H1N1 cases.

Health minister Christos Patsalides said: "The main cause of concern appears to be her connection to the Edinburgh Group of Greek students, two of whom have confirmed H1N1 cases.

"She attends the same university as the group of Greek students and in the last few days there were a lot of student parties, where people found themselves in areas where the virus existed.

"A second Cypriot student belonging to the Edinburgh Group is being closely monitored, although he has not displayed any worrying symptoms.

Anyone who may have been in contact with the group has been urged to stay at home and contact their GP or NHS 24 for advice.

Yesterday it emerged two further primary school children in Glasgow were being classed as probable cases of swine flu.

Scotland now has 14 confirmed cases, eight probable cases and eight possible cases, including four in Lothians.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Public health officials are responding rapidly to this developing situation and those at risk of infection are being offered Tamiflu and given appropriate advice.

"I am confident that our infection control procedures are working very well."