Nine suffer swine flu at school

Bolitho School remains open

Nine sixth form pupils at a Cornish boarding school are being treated for swine flu.

Bolitho School in Penzance remains open while the pupils receive anti-viral medication in the school's sanatorium.

They were diagnosed with the virus - described as "low grade" by the head teacher - after falling ill on 15 June.

It is the first outbreak of swine flu in Cornwall. A Cornish pupil at a school outside the region was diagnosed with swine flu in May.

Most of the students who were feeling unwell are now almost fit and well again Head teacher David Dobson

Anti-viral drugs are being given to all other sixth form pupils, teachers and families who have been in close contact with the confirmed cases.

Head teacher David Dobson told BBC News: "Most of the students who were feeling unwell are now almost fit and well again, certainly a vast improvement from how they felt on Monday.

"It is low grade because the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the NHS have been in the school all day doing risk assessments.

"They have told us that no other actions other than giving medication to the affected students is necessary.

"The school is to remain open as usual."

It is a not known where the pupils are thought to have contracted the disease.

A total of 224 cases of swine flu were diagnosed in England on Friday, bringing the total number of laboratory confirmed UK cases identified since April to 1,984.

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