Swine flu transfer case confirmed

A man from Falkirk has become the first person to contract swine flu from another infected person within the UK.

Graeme Pacitti, 24, is a friend of Iain and Dawn Askham, who contracted the virus after visiting Mexico for their honeymoon.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said 29 possible cases of swine flu were now being investigated in Scotland.

A total of 10 cases have now been confirmed in the UK, three of them in Scotland.

Mr Pacitti told BBC News: "I'm really disappointed. Today I've started to feel better. Hearing that news I feel gutted."

He said his illness began with an upset stomach on Saturday. The following day he developed a sore throat.

"On the Monday I felt the worst when I started to get headaches and feel quite feverish as well," he said.

"From then over the last couple of days I've started to feel better each day."

Commenting on the test result, Ms Sturgeon said: "It is significant because it represents the first case in the UK of person-to-person transmission.

"The person hadn't been to Mexico or any of the affected areas.

"I must stress it doesn't mean there's more reason for people to worry. We're still very much in the containment phase of this infection.

"We're trying to stop it spreading."

Mr Pacitti works at Falkirk Royal Infirmary and plays in the same football team as Iain Askham.

He is currently quarantined at his flat along with several members of his family.

NHS Forth Valley said it was confident no people considered possible or probable cases had been at work in the past seven days.

As a precaution, two members of staff who are not showing any symptoms have been asked to remain off work.

Ms Sturgeon said tests on 11 people had proved negative, but a similar number of new possible cases had emerged.

Earlier on Friday the minister had a meeting with representatives of local authority umbrella group Cosla, business organisations, trade unions and the main opposition parties.

She said such meetings would take place on a weekly basis.

You try to stay calm but at the back of your mind there is the possibility that you might die Iain Askham Couple criticised for flu story

Meanwhile the Askhams, who were released from hospital on Thursday, have spoken of how they feared they might die from the virus.

Iain told the Daily Mail: "You try to stay calm but at the back of your mind there is the possibility that you might die."

They were treated for five nights in separate isolation rooms at Monklands Hospital, Airdrie.

"It was particularly hard to bear, because I knew that Dawn was next door and that she wasn't well," Mr Askham told the newspaper.

"She was so close and yet I could not reach her. I just wanted to give her a cuddle and reassure her."

The couple said they believed they contracted the virus on their flight back from Cancun, during which several passengers were coughing and sneezing.

All of the UK cases diagnosed so far are thought to have responded well to treatment.

Precautions being taken in the UK include enhanced airport checks, an expansion of anti-viral stocks from 35 million to 50 million by the end of May, the ordering of extra masks and delivery of information leaflets for every family.

Location of possible cases Ayrshire and Arran - 3 Borders - 1 Fife - 3 Forth Valley - 8 Grampian - 5 Greater Glasgow and Clyde - 4 Highland - 1 Lanarkshire - 1 Lothian - 3

Supplies of antibiotics are to be increased to deal with any complications arising as a result of flu infections.

An advertising campaign to help prevent the spread of the virus has also been launched.

The Department of Health's Catch it, Bin it, Kill it! adverts urge people to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues, throw them away and wash their hands.

Meanwhile, the WHO has announced it will call the virus influenza A (H1N1), rather than swine flu, which it says is misleading as pork meat is safe and the virus is being transmitted from human to human.

Members of the public with concerns about the virus can call 08454 24 24 24.

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