Published: Saturday, 13th June, 2009 2:00pm

Swine flu outbreak at Amazon

by Eric Baxter

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VIRUS: Amazon's base in Gourock.

A WORKER at Amazon in Gourock has swine flu, the company confirmed today.

Staff at the Faulds Park warehouse were informed about the new victim of the virus on Thursday.

Bosses declined to say if any other workers are being tested for swine flu, or to comment on staff claims that no medication was being offered to them.

One Amazon worker said: 'We were taken into the auditorium and told by the manager a worker had been confirmed as having swine flu.

'But they have not offered anyone Tamiflu anti-viral tablets.'

Another worker added: 'All they are offering us is bacterial wipes. It"s worrying.'

An Amazon spokesman said: 'We can confirm an associate from our Gourock fulfilment centre has been diagnosed with the H1N1 flu virus. We have been informed by the Health Protection Agency that all of our operations can continue as usual and plan to do so.'

The case follows this week"s news that senior pupils at Port Glasgow High have been ordered to stay at home after a boy was confirmed as having swine flu.

Council chiefs issued 100 pupils in S5 and S6 with Tamiflu tablets and asked them to stay at home for seven days after a fifth-year pupil was found to have the virus on Wednesday.

The school will remain open with classes continuing as normal for pupils who have not come into contact with the teenager.

A month ago, Ravenscraig Primary, Ladybird Nursery and the Enterprise after-school club in Greenock were closed for one week as a precautionary measure.

There were six confirmed cases of swine flu in the Greenock area, including Inverclyde"s first case, Greenock Wanderers" rugby player Michael Frizzel, 19.

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

Mr Frizzel spent almost a week in an isolation unit at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow before being allowed home.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said there were now 186 confirmed cases in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area and 530 under investigation.