No further swine flu cases detected in Ireland

There are no other cases of swine flu in this country, health experts said tonight.

Tests results for a man classified as a probable case will be known late tonight or early tomorrow morning.

Experts said they are increasing stockpiles of drugs to combat swine flu and are rolling out a nationwide information campaign.

The man, who is quarantined in his home in the east of the country, went to his GP after returning from Mexico.

“We expect confirmation late tonight or early tomorrow,” said Prof Bill Hall, chairman of the National Pandemic Influenza Expert Group.

“There are no other probable or confirmed cases in the country that we are dealing with at this time,” added the Government’s chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan.

A freephone information number, 1800 941 100, with an automated updates, is going live tonight.

Hundreds of thousands of leaflets are being printed this weekend and will be delivered to every household in the state next week.

The experts said they have been maintaining close contact with the European Union and World Health Organisation in recent days.

Dr Kevin Kelleher, the HSE’s head of health protection, said officials were in talks with pharmaceutical companies to purchase more medicines but refused to disclose how many.

There are currently enough drugs for almost half the population.

“We have been working on this during the week and we are happy that we are getting what we need,” Dr Kelleher said.

Further daily briefings will be given by the expert group at Government Buildings over the bank holiday weekend.

Dr Holohan said there were no official cases of people transmitting the disease in Ireland.

Everybody who has been in contact with the man at the centre of the probable case has also been quarantined as a precaution.