Swine flu: 290 pupils ill but school stays open

Published on Wednesday 7 October 2009 22:00

HUNDREDS of pupils have called in sick at a West Lothian school hit by a swine flu outbreak, education leaders said yesterday.

An "abnormally high" number of youngsters at Linlithgow Academy have reported flu-like symptoms, West Lothian Council said.

Around 290 pupils are currently absent, with 135 of them having reported flu-like symptoms.

The Scottish Government said that 14 of the pupils had been confirmed as having swine flu after they had swab samples taken from them by their GPs for testing.

The school, which has around 1,100 pupils, remains open and the local authority said it would only close schools in exceptional circumstances.

The council has written to all parents and carers and urged them to be aware of the illness.

Gordon Ford, West Lothian Council's director of education, said: "We have taken the decision to write to all parents and carers in the Linlithgow area as a precaution.

"Clearly, there is a high incidence of flu in the school community and we want to make sure that everyone is aware of the symptoms, and that they should seek medical advice if their child shows signs of developing flu.

"We are following government guidance on managing this outbreak and there are no plans to close schools at this time, and all children who are not showing symptoms should continue to attend as normal."

There are also high levels of absence at Linlithgow Primary School, where 40 of the 415 pupils are reported to have taken days off.

NHS Lothian advised parents to contact their GP or call NHS24, on 08454 242424, should they think their children might have swine flu.

Dr Alison McCallum, director of public health at NHS Lothian, said: "We are working closely with West Lothian Council following reports of a number of pupils with flu-like symptoms in the Linlithgow area. This situation is being closely monitored. Most people experience mild symptoms and make a full recovery. Practising good hand and personal hygiene will help reduce the spread of the virus.

"Parents should make sure their children are washing their hands regularly, and that they cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, with a tissue if possible."

Meanwhile, it was announced yesterday that a young child, who had contracted swine flu, had died in Northern Ireland. The toddler was under the age of three and lived in the south-eastern part of the province. The exact cause of death was not known yesterday.

It was the third swine flu-related death in Northern Ireland.