Suspected swine flu hits school

A number of pupils have been sent home from Kirkcudbright Academy

About 160 pupils have been sent home after a suspected swine flu outbreak at a school in south west Scotland.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway confirmed seven teachers had also been affected at Kirkcudbright Academy.

Consultant in Public Health Medicine Dr David Breen said the school remained open and was operating "as normally as possible in the circumstances".

He stressed that symptoms appeared to be mild and tests had yet to confirm that it was the H1N1 virus.

Kirkcudbright Academy is one of the biggest in Dumfries and Galloway with a roll of about 450 pupils.

Monitored closely

NHS Dumfries and Galloway confirmed about one third of them had been sent home since Monday.

Dr Breen said: "The school remains open and is operating as normally as possible under the circumstances.

"Public health staff are monitoring the situation closely along with colleagues in general practice and will meet with the education department on Friday morning to review the situation.

"We are confident that all appropriate measures have been taken by GP colleagues, academy and education department staff and by NHS public health teams."