SWINE FLU HITS ROMANIA TRIP PUPILS

A British Embassy spokeswoman said the group arrived on June 25 as part of an annual exchange programme to work with disabled children in the north-east city of Iasi.

The pupils, aged 16 to 18, are part of a group of 19 and three teachers from the private Sevenoaks School in Kent.

The eight are in isolation at Iasi's Hospital for Infectious Diseases. British Ambassador Robin Barnett and other embassy officials travelled to Iasi this week to help with the case.

The spokeswoman said British diplomats were working with the school and Romanian public health authorities to decide whether to fly the students home or keep them in the hospital.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old has been confirmed as the first person in London to die after contracting swine flu.

The young man from south London, who suffered serious underlying health problems, tested positive for the virus following his death on Wednesday.

He is the fourth person with swine flu to die in the UK.

The latest death comes amid warnings that the number of cases could soar to 100,000 a day by the end of next month.