UK sufferer 'caught swine flu after brief meeting'

The first person to contract swine flu in England without visiting Mexico believes he caught the virus from a colleague after only a brief meeting.

Barry Greatorex, 43, from Chipping Sodbury, in south Gloucestershire, is recovering at home with his wife Fran, 46, and son Jamie, 13.

Mr Greatorex, a project manager, believes he caught swine flu after a business meeting in Castle Donington on Thursday April 23 with a woman who had recently returned from holiday in Mexico.

The woman has since tested negative for the virus but is being retested.

Mr Greatorex said the meeting lasted just half an hour but the woman was coughing and spluttering.

“I wasn’t there for too long but it was obviously enough,” he said.

Meanwhile, the lead singer from chart-toppers N-Dubz is being treated in a Greek hospital for a suspected case of the disease, the band’s manager confirmed today.

Tulisa Contostavlos, 20, from north London, was taken to hospital in Athens after becoming ill on a flight to the country on Thursday.

Miss Contostavlos has undergone tests at the hospital to determine if she has contracted the deadly virus.

UK health chiefs are waiting for the results of hundreds of tests for swine flu after the tally of confirmed cases hit 13.

Yesterday the Department of Health announced four new cases in the South West, South East, North East and Scotland.

Two of the new cases, including Mr Greatorex, involved people who fell ill without travelling to Mexico.

The other was Graeme Pacitti, 24, from Polmont, near Falkirk.

He contracted the disease after coming into contact with Iain Askham, who fell ill after his honeymoon in Mexico.

Liam Donaldson, chief medical officer, said: “The first non-imported cases of swine flu have been confirmed in England and Scotland.

“The infection appears to have been acquired by person-to-person spread within the United Kingdom. Until now cases were confined to people who had themselves recently come back from Mexico.”

Cases have now been confirmed in Newcastle, Scotland, Merseyside, Devon, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and London. All those in the UK who have contracted the disease appear to be suffering mild symptoms.

The WHO has raised the alert level to phase five of six, meaning a global outbreak is imminent.

But Mexico has cut the number of deaths suspected of resulting from the H1N1 virus, and questions have been raised over whether other strains of the virus could be responsible.

Italy reported its first case today, bringing the number of countries affected to 17.

In the UK, BT has agreed to make all calls from land lines to NHS Direct free for the next three weeks.