Swine flu forces closure of Newry Primary school

A Newry primary school has been forced to close after a pupil was diagnosed with swine flu.

The decision to close St. Ronan’s Primary School on Ashgrove Road was taken to minimise the risk to pupils and staff after a Primary Two pupil contracted the disease.

The child and a younger sibling were confirmed with the condition after recently returning from a family holiday to Mexico.  They are being treated at home with antivirals and are said to be recovering well.

Coming just days before the end of term, Dr Carolyn Harper from the Public Health Agency has said the school’s closure is purely a precautionary measure and the risk to the public remains low.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey revealed that these are the first cases of swine flu in children in Northern Ireland but said his department is well prepared to deal with a pandemic and has “been planning for this situation for many years.”

Meanwhile local politicians called for vigilance, saying people in the area have been very shocked by the news.

“It is important that we remain calm and do not overreact to the situation,” MP for the area, Conor Murphy, said.  “I will be asking for a meeting with Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, as a matter of urgency to ensure that everything possible is being done to contain the virus.”

SDLP Councillor, Karen McKevitt, said anyone with concerns should contact their GP and she welcomed the Department of Health’s proactive approach in dealing with the pandemic.

“I very much welcome the decision of the Principal of St Ronan’s Primary School to immediately close the school for summer holidays in order to reduce the risk of infection spreading,” Ms McKevitt said.  “As far as I am aware, the school has also contacted all the parents of pupils individually to let them know about the case and the early summer closure.”

There are now a total of 32 confirmed cases of swine flu in Northern Ireland, with 15 more under investigation.