Published: Tuesday, 16th June, 2009 2:00pm

My 'hangover' was swine flu

by Lorraine Tinney

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A GOUROCK woman among four new swine flu cases in Inverclyde at first thought she had a hangover after a friend"s 21st party.

Laura McCafferty had been to the bash in Dunoon and woke up with a fever the next day.

Her sister got advice from NHS 24 and she got an emergency appointment at the health centre that night.

She said: 'I had a fever and was hot then shivering, I had a sore throat and a sore head and had been sick a couple of times. I thought it was just a hangover at first.'

Laura, 22, of Grenville Avenue, was treated with Tamiflu and a course of antibiotics and has been off work for more than a week.

She also passed the virus to her 56-year-old mum, Margaret, who tested positive the following Wednesday.

Insurance adviser Laura is recovering well and should be back at work today.

She said: 'There"s a lot of scaremongering. As soon as I was confirmed with swine flu everyone started to panic.'

Council bosses today confirmed that a primary three child at Moorfoot Primary School, in Gourock, also has swine flu.

Precautions are also being taken at a school in Kilmacolm after a 15-year-old girl tested positive on 4 June. She returned to school yesterday.

In a statement on St Columba"s website, rector David Girdwood, said: 'A number of pupils and staff have reported they are suffering from flu-like symptoms and have consulted their GPs. Treatment with Tamiflu has been prescribed for sufferers and immediate family.

'The public health consultant"s advice remains that pupils who

are symptom-free should attend school.

'Any pupil who is sneezing, coughing or has a "runny nose" should stay at home and consult their GP.'

The new cases bring Inverclyde"s total of confirmed cases to 12. Inverclyde"s first case was Greenock Wanderers" rugby player Michael Frizzel, 19.

A 22-year-old woman, her three-year-old son who attended Ladybird nursery, a five-year-old Ravenscraig Primary pupil, his 45-year-old mum, and a 16-year-old female James Watt College student also tested positive for the virus.

A fifth-year pupil at Port Glasgow High was then confirmed as having the virus.

Around 100 senior pupils are due to return to the school tomorrow after being advised to stay at home for seven days.

A member of staff at internet giant Amazon"s Gourock warehouse was confirmed with the virus on Thursday.

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