Illegal immigrant contracts swine flu

The Health Division is closely monitoring the detention centre at the Safi Barracks after an immigrant tested positive for swine flu.

In its last update, the Social Policy Ministry said the immigrant was placed in isolation and anyone who had come in contact with her was quarantined.

Meanwhile, another eight people have contracted the virus, four men and four women. Two of them are foreign but none of the cases was travel related.

To date, 92 people are known to have been infected with the H1N1 virus responsible for swine flu, of which 66 have recovered.

Since July 8, only vulnerable groups, such as children and the elderly, are being tested for the virus after the country's pandemic plan moved from containment to mitigation.

Immigration officers have been instructed by their union to wash their hands every 10 minutes to protect them against the swine flu. The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin said its instructions would remain in effect until the authorities provided employees with a hand wash product they could use instead.