Swine flu: Hornsey parents 'sick with worry' (From Haringey Independent)

Swine flu: Hornsey parents 'sick with worry'

3:33pm Thursday 18th June 2009 in News By Elizabeth Pears

Shut down: Campsbourne Primary has closed after one of its pupils tested positive for swine flu

A HORNSEY school has closed after one of its pupils tested positive for swine flu.

The infant, from Campsbourne School, in Nightingale Lane, is the first child in Haringey to contract the virus. It is only the second case in the borough since the outbreak of the virus.

The pupil tested positive for the H1N1 virus on Wednesday, after suspicions were raised on Monday.

Headteacher Angela Ryan decided to shut the school on Tuesday evening to help limit the spread of the disease following advice from the Health Protection Agency.

But several other children and teachers have also fallen ill over the past ten days reporting symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and a sore throat.

Eugenia Cronin, director of public health for NHS Haringey and Haringey Council, confirmed other possible cases were being investigated.

The infant side of the school was shut on Tuesday and the junior school was shut yesterday.

One mother whose two daughters attend the school said she was “sick with worry” about her children’s health and is furious the school did not shut earlier.

The mother, who did not want to be named, said: “I am furious.

“They obviously had good reason to be concerned and that is why they closed the infants’ side of the school.”

She said if either of her daughters contract the virus she will consider taking legal action.

Parents were first informed of the suspected swine flu in a letter sent home with pupils on Tuesday and a text message was sent out first thing on Wednesday morning.

Parents have been advised to inform the school of any diagnoses by GPs and keep sick children at home.

Children are also being urged to blow their noses into tissues and wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating food.

Only one other case of swine flu in Haringey has previously been reported — a man spent ten days at The Whittington Hospital in Magdala Avenue, Archway, in isolation and was released on Sunday, May 31.

The mother also said the pupils from the two schools had been kept separate by staff to stop the spread of the virus.

However, a spokeswoman for Haringey Council said: “It is absolutely not true that the children were separated in this way.

“The school has complied with all procedures and has rigorously followed advice from the Health Protection Agency and NHS Haringey.

“The outbreak became apparent on Monday and the lower school was first closed as a precaution because that is where the suspected cases were.

“The first case was not confirmed until Wednesday, by which time the whole school was closed.”

See haringeyindependent.co.uk/news for the latest about the swine flu outbreak.