Swine flu outbreak spread across Paisley

Jun 5 2009 Paisley Daily Express

AN outbreak of swine flu in Paisley is spreading.

Yesterday hundreds of boys and girls at Paisley Grammar School were sent home for seven days after third-year pupil Dionne Fullerton was confirmed as having the Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

All 230 of the girl’s peers will be offered Tamiflu.

And it has been revealed a 44-year-old mum-of-four from Ferguslie Park is in the High Dependency Unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Isabel Murdoch of Dalskeith Avenue was admitted on Monday after taking ill over the weekend.

Last night her worried husband Robert said: “She’s not doing too well. She didn’t look good the last time I saw her.”

Two other Buddies – 45-year-old Kenneth Johnston of Bank Street in the East End of town, and a 23-year-old woman – are also being treated in the Intensive Care Unit.

Mr Johnston was the first person in the UK to become critically ill wholly because of swine flu, and last night his neighbours were in shock when they learned he was fighting for life.

At 4.30pm yesterday experts from the health board met with parents at the school.

Worried mum Pamela Nelson, from Ralston found out about the Grammar’s swine flu case by text message.

Pamela, whose son Adam is in S3, said: “I got a text from the school while I was at work, and I went into a panic.

“It said ‘Paisley Grammar School, swine flu detected. Pupil in third year. Please come to school at 4.30pm’.”

FULL STORY: PAGES 4 & 5