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| Eton swine flu outbreak spreads | Eton swine flu outbreak spreads |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Three further Eton College pupils have been diagnosed with swine flu, taking the total number of cases at the top public school to four. | |
| More suspected cases at the Berkshire school are being investigated after a pupil tested positive there last week. | More suspected cases at the Berkshire school are being investigated after a pupil tested positive there last week. |
| Health chiefs confirmed there were another 17 cases of the virus across the UK, bringing the total to 246. | Health chiefs confirmed there were another 17 cases of the virus across the UK, bringing the total to 246. |
| The new cases included one patient from Wales, which is believed to be the first swine flu case in the country. | The new cases included one patient from Wales, which is believed to be the first swine flu case in the country. |
| They also included two cases in Scotland. | |
| Letter sent | Letter sent |
| The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said earlier on Sunday that 32 suspected cases were being investigated at Eton, the school once attended by Princes William and Harry. | |
| In a letter to parents, it warned of seven probable and 25 possible cases following confirmation on Thursday that a 13-year-old pupil had contracted the virus. | |
| I would like to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains low Nicola SturgeonScottish health secretary | |
| It read: "In general these students have mild illness. It is highly likely that these will be positive for swine influenza." | |
| The HPA has offered antiviral drugs to pupils and staff at the school. | |
| Its letter continued: "The purpose of this is to minimise the likelihood of further spread of the virus to students and the families not already affected." | |
| The school will remain closed until 7 June. | The school will remain closed until 7 June. |
| Elsewhere, two children and one adult in the West Midlands and two people in north-west England are among the new cases. They are all linked to previously confirmed outbreaks. | |
| As well as the three Eton cases, a further six cases have been diagnosed in south-east England - all are said to be travel related, as is the case in Wales. | |
| 'Strategy effective' | |
| Meanwhile in Scotland, two children, aged five and 13, were also confirmed to have swine flu, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said. | |
| Both were part of the same "contact group" and associated with a previously-confirmed case, she said. | |
| "While this is clearly a difficult time for the family concerned, I would like to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains low," she added. | |
| A spokesman for the Department of Health said the cases of swine flu in the UK had so far been mild, and there was not yet evidence of "widespread community transmission". | A spokesman for the Department of Health said the cases of swine flu in the UK had so far been mild, and there was not yet evidence of "widespread community transmission". |
| "Our strategy to slow the spread of the disease appears to have been effective, and the UK's arrangements continue to ensure that we are well-placed to deal with this new infection," he said. | "Our strategy to slow the spread of the disease appears to have been effective, and the UK's arrangements continue to ensure that we are well-placed to deal with this new infection," he said. |
| However, it was still right to prepare for the "possibility of a global pandemic", he added. | However, it was still right to prepare for the "possibility of a global pandemic", he added. |