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Swine flu transfer to English man | Swine flu transfer to English man |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A 43-year-old man from South Gloucestershire has become the first person in England to catch swine flu without having visited Mexico. | A 43-year-old man from South Gloucestershire has become the first person in England to catch swine flu without having visited Mexico. |
Barry Greatorex, from Chipping Sodbury, is in quarantine at his home with his wife and son, after tests confirmed he had the virus. | Barry Greatorex, from Chipping Sodbury, is in quarantine at his home with his wife and son, after tests confirmed he had the virus. |
Mr Greatorex said he believed he had caught swine flu from a colleague who had recently visited Mexico. | Mr Greatorex said he believed he had caught swine flu from a colleague who had recently visited Mexico. |
He is said to be recovering well. His family has been given anti-viral drugs. | He is said to be recovering well. His family has been given anti-viral drugs. |
Including Mr Greatorex's infection, 11 cases have been recorded in England among 15 across the whole of the UK. | |
Two of those cases were confirmed on Saturday. | |
'Worst cold' | 'Worst cold' |
One is a six-year-old girl from Oxfordshire and the other is a man from Sefton, Merseyside, who recently returned from Mexico with his wife. | |
She had already tested positive for the virus. | |
Mr Greatorex's wife Fran and 13-year-old son Jamie were treated with Tamiflu as a precaution, health chiefs said. | |
Mr Greatorex said his colleague had initially tested negative for swine flu and was now being tested again to see if she was just a carrier of the virus. | Mr Greatorex said his colleague had initially tested negative for swine flu and was now being tested again to see if she was just a carrier of the virus. |
We would like to reassure the community that they're not at risk just because I've got it Barry Greatorex | |
He said he had no reason to suspect she was infected as, at the time of their meeting on 24 April, swine flu had not hit the headlines. | He said he had no reason to suspect she was infected as, at the time of their meeting on 24 April, swine flu had not hit the headlines. |
Two days afterwards, he had chest pains, a shortness of breath and severe coughing. | Two days afterwards, he had chest pains, a shortness of breath and severe coughing. |
"Initially I thought it was because I had over-exerted myself in the garden so I thought nothing of it," he said. | "Initially I thought it was because I had over-exerted myself in the garden so I thought nothing of it," he said. |
Mr Greatorex has never had flu so presumed it was the "worst cold" he had ever had. | |
"I'm fairly laidback but of course as soon as you get confirmation that it's swine flu, you always fear the worst." | |
School closed | |
He said he would like to reassure his neighbours that he is not contagious. | He said he would like to reassure his neighbours that he is not contagious. |
"The fact that my wife and son have not contracted it, we would like to reassure the community that they're not at risk just because I've got it." | |
An NHS spokesperson said Mr Greatorex had not had any contact with a 12-year-old girl who had also contracted swine flu in nearby Downend. | An NHS spokesperson said Mr Greatorex had not had any contact with a 12-year-old girl who had also contracted swine flu in nearby Downend. |
Downend School, which is attended by the girl, will be closed until 11 May and parents have been told to contact their family doctor if any child shows symptoms. | Downend School, which is attended by the girl, will be closed until 11 May and parents have been told to contact their family doctor if any child shows symptoms. |
Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu. | Symptoms of swine flu in humans appear to be similar to those produced by standard, seasonal flu. |
The Health Protection Agency said all those in the UK who have contracted the disease appear to be suffering mild symptoms. | The Health Protection Agency said all those in the UK who have contracted the disease appear to be suffering mild symptoms. |