Swine flu confirmed at Tamworth schools

By nrobinson

EXCLUSIVE: Swine flu has hit Tamworth, the Herald can reveal, after cases were confirmed in two town schools this week.

Two students at Belgrave High School and a pupil at Glascote's Woodlands Primary School have been diagnosed as having the virus.

The news comes in the same week that health officials admitted that the swine flu pandemic can no longer be contained, only 'managed'.

On the advice of the Health Protection Agency, both Tamworth schools remain open.

The West Midlands now has the highest number of confirmed cases in the country.

As the Herald went to press, there were 2,424 cases of the infectious virus regionally, with 116 new cases in the last 24 hours.

"I can confirm that there have been two cases of swine flu diagnosed within the student population, and both within the same family," said Simon Turney, headteacher at Belgrave High School, in Bird Bush Road.

"The school has worked closely with the family to ensure that accurate information has been made available.

"Subsequently the school has worked very closely with the Health Authority, which has resulted in a thorough risk assessment."

* For the full story see this week's Tamworth Herald (July 2, 2009, edition)