City pupils in China quarantine

Seven school pupils from Hampshire are among 100 pupils and teachers under quarantine in China as part of the country's measures to tackle swine flu.

The group from Miltoncross School in Portsmouth flew to Beijing last week as part of a cultural exchange visit involving more than 600 Britons.

Chinese health officials have confirmed that nine British pupils in the party have been diagnosed with swine flu.

None of those tested positive is from the Portsmouth school.

The group was due to travel to Shangdong but the pupils have been quarantined in the Yanxiang Hotel in the capital.

One of the youngest pupils in the group is 12-year-old Jessica Benham.

In an e-mail to her mother just as the quarantine began, she complained about poor food and no access to a telephone.

Her mother, Wendy Brookfield, has since managed to speak to her.

She told the BBC: "For a 12-year-old she is doing incredibly well.

"I can't be any more proud of her than I am because she is showing a great level of understanding and bravery.

"I'm sure if it was me, as an adult, I would be frightened."

Miltoncross school has had Mandarin on its curriculum for four years.

None of the British children confirmed as having swine flu, who are from London and Somerset, is thought to be seriously ill.

Three British pupils were found to have high temperatures when they arrived at Beijing's airport last week. The others developed symptoms of the H1N1 virus while in quarantine.

China has quarantined hundreds of foreign visitors who have shown symptoms of swine flu.

On Friday, the country's health ministry said that 1,537 cases of swine flu had been reported in a population of 1.34 billion. None have been fatal.

In the UK, 29 people have died after contracting swine flu - 26 in England and three in Scotland.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Miltoncross School
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites