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SOUTH Tyneside is on alert after North East England's first case of swine flu was confirmed.
Council bosses held emergency meetings after the Health Protection Agency yesterday confirmed a Newcastle woman has caught the disease.
She became ill after returning from a holiday to Mexico, where 168 people have been killed by the virus so far, on Saturday, April 18.
She went back to work at Proctor & Gamble in North Tyneside, but was later sent home.
Colleagues she came into contact with are being closely monitored.
The woman, now thought to have recovered, lives with two students from Newcastle University.
The university yesterday sent an e-mail to all 1,900 of its students, many of whom are from South Tyneside.
The flatmates have been given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu and are not showing any symptoms.
One South Tyneside student said the e-mail sparked real concern.
Sarah Reay, a 21-year-old final year law student at Newcastle University, from Holder House, South Shields, said: "I was in the library when I got the e-mail from the university.
"Everyone is swotting away at the minute for final exams so normally the library is silent, but there was quite a bit of commotion going on.
"People were getting worried about sitting beside others who were coughing, thinking they might end up ill too. It's caused quite a bit of panic."
Newcastle University remains open while staff at South Tyneside College ? which has sites at South Shields and Hebburn - were encouraging students to register with a GP.
Colin Traill, health and safety manager, said: "The news of a swine flu incident in Newcastle is clearly worrying but we are very thankful that at the moment none of our students are currently affected by the virus.
"We are following national guidance regarding swine flu and will continue to monitor the situation.
"However, in the meantime we have circulated general information to key staff about pandemic flu and are also ensuring that any students, not from this area, are registered with a local GP.
Sunderland University chiefs today sent out e-mails to its students making them aware of symptoms and contact numbers while yesterday South Tyneside Council held a series of meetings with its partner agencies.
Council bosses said its pandemic flu group has reviewed and updated its arrangements and insisted plans were in place should an outbreak occur.
As from Monday leaflets are to be posted at homes in the borough containing essential facts about the virus.
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/S-Tyne-on-alert-for.5227637.jp
Council bosses held emergency meetings after the Health Protection Agency yesterday confirmed a Newcastle woman has caught the disease.
She became ill after returning from a holiday to Mexico, where 168 people have been killed by the virus so far, on Saturday, April 18.
She went back to work at Proctor & Gamble in North Tyneside, but was later sent home.
Colleagues she came into contact with are being closely monitored.
The woman, now thought to have recovered, lives with two students from Newcastle University.
The university yesterday sent an e-mail to all 1,900 of its students, many of whom are from South Tyneside.
The flatmates have been given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu and are not showing any symptoms.
One South Tyneside student said the e-mail sparked real concern.
Sarah Reay, a 21-year-old final year law student at Newcastle University, from Holder House, South Shields, said: "I was in the library when I got the e-mail from the university.
"Everyone is swotting away at the minute for final exams so normally the library is silent, but there was quite a bit of commotion going on.
"People were getting worried about sitting beside others who were coughing, thinking they might end up ill too. It's caused quite a bit of panic."
Newcastle University remains open while staff at South Tyneside College ? which has sites at South Shields and Hebburn - were encouraging students to register with a GP.
Colin Traill, health and safety manager, said: "The news of a swine flu incident in Newcastle is clearly worrying but we are very thankful that at the moment none of our students are currently affected by the virus.
"We are following national guidance regarding swine flu and will continue to monitor the situation.
"However, in the meantime we have circulated general information to key staff about pandemic flu and are also ensuring that any students, not from this area, are registered with a local GP.
Sunderland University chiefs today sent out e-mails to its students making them aware of symptoms and contact numbers while yesterday South Tyneside Council held a series of meetings with its partner agencies.
Council bosses said its pandemic flu group has reviewed and updated its arrangements and insisted plans were in place should an outbreak occur.
As from Monday leaflets are to be posted at homes in the borough containing essential facts about the virus.
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/S-Tyne-on-alert-for.5227637.jp