31/07/2009

Foreign Students Quarantined On Swine Flu

Seven language students are in quarantine at a Dublin university after being suspected of contracting swine flu.

The teenagers, who are believed to be Italian, were attending English language classes at University College Dublin and have ben confined to on-campus residences.

A UCD spokesman said the students, aged between 14 and 17, could be quarantined for several days.

"It's only just occurred, so I'd say for a few days," he said.

The news comes as figures from the Department of health confirm 19 people have so far been hospitalised for swine flu.

The National Public Health Emergency Team have been meeting to review the swine flu situation nationally following figures yesterday showing that GPs have diagnosed 1,500 cases in the last week.

A man in his 30s, who was admitted to St James's Hospital last week, remains 'critically ill' with the virus.

It is believed the man, who is originally from Slovakia, contracted the virus abroad. He has been living in Ireland for several years.

The Department of Health said the rate of the infection has tripled over the last number of weeks, with two people now in intensive care.

The rate of influenza-like illness has jumped three-fold over the last few weeks, from 13 per 100,000 to 37 per 100,000.

In the North, the total number of lab-confirmed cases up to noon on 29 July stood at 71, according to the Department of Health.

See: Swine Flu Cases Top 70

(DW/BMcC)


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