Swine flu 300
A THIRD Merseyside case of swine flu was confirmed last night.
The man, who has recently returned from Mexico, is being treated at his home in Wirral.
He has not needed hospital treatment.
A family member is also being given anti-viral drugs as a precaution.
It follows the diagnosis of a husband and wife in Sefton just over a week ago.
There are 65 confirmed cases nationally so far, and 336 people are under laboratory investigation.
In total, 10 new cases were confirmed yesterday, including two in Greater Manchester, two in London and four in the East and South East of England.
A Health Protection Agency (HPA) spokesman said: “A man from Wirral who visited Mexico has been confirmed to have H1N1 influenza.
“The man is being treated with Tamiflu and is recovering at home.
“A household contact is being treated as a precautionary measure.”
Four schools nationwide opened their doors again yesterday after closing due to the outbreak.
But, as they reopened, Hampton School, in south-west London, closed for a week after one of its first-year pupils was diagnosed with influenza A. The case was not yet confirmed as swine flu, but further tests were being carried out and the pupil was recovering well at home.
Merseyside experts say there is no need to panic and offered simple advise last night.
A HPA North West spokesman added: “There are simple but crucial measures that people can take to protect themselves from the flu, including regular and thorough hand-washing.
“It’s essential to cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and to turn away from other people in the vicinity.