Swine flu: Handsworth school outbreak is largest in UK
Dr Sue Ibbotson, regional director of HPA West Midlands, said: “While the illness can be unpleasant, none of the cases have been hospitalised. Viruses spread easily in schools and the HPA is working hard with the school and parents to limit its further spread.”
The Health Protection Agency invited all parents of pupils without symptoms into the school on Saturday and Sunday to collect anti-virals for their children at a centre manned by staff from Birmingham’s three primary care trusts.
A council spokesman said the authority would follow any advice given by the HPA over when to reopen the school. “At this point we do not know if the school will reopen on Monday but it will be down to the HPA and, whatever they say is best for pupils and teachers, the council will do,” the spokesman said.
Before half term, teachers raised the alarm with concerns over unusually high numbers of illness with at least 100 children off sick. The Department of Health said the confirmed cases in the UK was 184 with a further 113 cases under laboratory investigation.
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