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Three in England have swine flu Three in England have swine flu
(about 2 hours later)
A 12-year-old girl from Devon is among three people from England who have contracted swine flu after visiting Mexico, Gordon Brown has confirmed.A 12-year-old girl from Devon is among three people from England who have contracted swine flu after visiting Mexico, Gordon Brown has confirmed.
Two adults, a 41-year-old woman from Worcestershire and a south London man, 22, are also undergoing treatment, along with two others from Scotland. Two adults, a 41-year-old woman from Worcestershire and a 22-year-old man from London are also having treatment, along with two others from Scotland.
The girl travelled on the same flight from Mexico as the Scottish couple, Health Secretary Alan Johnson revealed.The girl travelled on the same flight from Mexico as the Scottish couple, Health Secretary Alan Johnson revealed.
Mr Brown said all those with the virus were responding well to treatment.Mr Brown said all those with the virus were responding well to treatment.
The woman and man from Worcestershire and London had also recently been to Mexico. The woman, from Redditch, and the man, from the Barnet area of north London, had also recently been to Mexico.
The girl's school, Paignton Community College, in Torbay, which has about 2,000 pupils, has been shut and students in her year given anti-viral drugs.The girl's school, Paignton Community College, in Torbay, which has about 2,000 pupils, has been shut and students in her year given anti-viral drugs.
...we just want to give the reassuring message that the child is doing well Health Secretary Alan Johnson...we just want to give the reassuring message that the child is doing well Health Secretary Alan Johnson
Mr Johnson said he wanted to reassure people in the Torbay area that measures were in place to control the infection.Mr Johnson said he wanted to reassure people in the Torbay area that measures were in place to control the infection.
"The whole of the school year, 230 children, are being given anti-virals prophylactically," he said."The whole of the school year, 230 children, are being given anti-virals prophylactically," he said.
"Secondly, the head teacher has decided to close the school for seven days."Secondly, the head teacher has decided to close the school for seven days.
"Our message to Torbay is - people will be extremely worried... and we just want to give the reassuring message that the child is doing well, that there is reassurance that if you take Tamiflu anti-virals early, you make a full recovery.""Our message to Torbay is - people will be extremely worried... and we just want to give the reassuring message that the child is doing well, that there is reassurance that if you take Tamiflu anti-virals early, you make a full recovery."
Mr Johnson said the 12-year-old had been on the same flight from Mexico as Dawn and Iain Askham, the couple from Polmont, near Falkirk, Scotland, who had been on their honeymoon and were the UK's first confirmed cases.Mr Johnson said the 12-year-old had been on the same flight from Mexico as Dawn and Iain Askham, the couple from Polmont, near Falkirk, Scotland, who had been on their honeymoon and were the UK's first confirmed cases.
Develop symptomsDevelop symptoms
Professor Antony Kessel, director of public health for the Health Protection Agency, said health staff were acting cautiously in the case of the Paignton girl.Professor Antony Kessel, director of public health for the Health Protection Agency, said health staff were acting cautiously in the case of the Paignton girl.
A fellow pupil of a girl in Devon confirmed with swine flu speaks of her shockA fellow pupil of a girl in Devon confirmed with swine flu speaks of her shock
"Our local staff decided that, as well as treatment for this girl, the school year should be given some prophylaxis and also that the school be closed for a period."Our local staff decided that, as well as treatment for this girl, the school year should be given some prophylaxis and also that the school be closed for a period.
"I think it's very important that [those in] close contact and those other children in the school, they understand they don't need to isolate themselves at the moment but only if they develop symptoms.""I think it's very important that [those in] close contact and those other children in the school, they understand they don't need to isolate themselves at the moment but only if they develop symptoms."
The woman confirmed with swine flu, from the Redditch area, did not go to hospital and is being treated with anti-viral drugs at home, the BBC understands. The woman confirmed with swine flu did not go to hospital and is being treated with anti-viral drugs at home, the BBC understands.
Dr Derrick Ward, of West Midlands Health Protection Agency, said: "This is a real development, we were expecting this [swine flu] to come up in England and sadly we were proved correct. Speaking about the north London man with the virus, Dr Andrew Burnett, medical director at Barnet Primary Care Trust, said: "We can confirm that a 22-year-old man is being treated at home for mild flu-like symptoms and has tested positive for swine influenza.
"We aren't sure yet how widespread this is going to be." "This patient had recently travelled back from Mexico. His symptoms were identified early and he is being treated with anti-viral drugs.
"To protect patient confidentiality we will not be indentifying this individual.
"The Health Protection Agency is following up all those friends and family who have come into close contact with the patient."