Four schools in city become first to be hit by swine flu

FOUR Derby schools have become the first in the city to have pupils diagnosed with swine flu.

They are Landau Forte College, in Fox Street, Homefields Primary, in Chellaston, and St John Fisher Catholic and Moorhead primary schools, both in Alvaston.

The cases were confirmed yesterday afternoon and letters were sent out to parents informing them of the situation.

A Derby City Council spokesman said that the number of schools affected in the city was likely to grow during the next few days.

On Tuesday, 32 schools under Derbyshire County Council control were confirmed as having pupils with swine flu. But by last night, this had risen to 47, mainly in the east of the county.

None of the schools is expected to close and the Health Protection Agency has recommended that they stay open with just two weeks to go until the end of term.

Matthew Emery, head teacher at St John Fisher Catholic Primary, confirmed his school would not close.

He said: "It is all about treatment now because there are so many cases in the community that it will be difficult to avoid the illness.

"We have one case confirmed, although there have been a number of children off school this week.

"We had already put out a message about increased hygiene vigilance and are hoping to get through the rest of the term. Obviously, if the numbers of cases grew in the school, or staff became ill, we would have to consider closure."

At Moorhead Primary School, the pupil diagnosed with swine flu has been on holiday and not in lessons for several days.

Head teacher Myra Rogers said she had decided to write to parents to let them know so they were fully aware of the situation. "I have no reason to believe the pupil was infectious when he was last in school, but I didn't want to keep parents in the dark," she said.

One parent said: "I'm pleased the school has let us know what is happening and I'm not worried about my child going in to lessons.

"There's so much around now that it will be as easily caught in the community.

"We've been told that the pupil has received treatment and is recovering well."

Additional schools in the Derbyshire County Council area, which have been added to the growing list, include: Cotmanhay Infant School; Sawley Infant School; Alfreton Nursery School; Firfield Primary School, Breaston; Somerlea Infant School, Somercotes; Howitt Primary School, Heanor and Ashbrook Infant School, Borrowash.

Elsewhere, five hospital workers in Derby, who had tested positive for the illness a couple of weeks ago, returned to work earlier this week.