London student fighting swine flu ‘in a bad way’

A 22-year-old London man with swine flu was today "in a bad way" in hospital.

The student, the first person in the capital diagnosed with the virus, had been on holiday with friends to Cancun in Mexico.

Health chiefs said on Wednesday the man from Barnet, who has not been named, was only suffering "mild" flu-like symptoms.

But today his spokesman revealed the 22-year-old patient at the Royal Free hospital is now experiencing severe sickness and vomiting.

Agent Max Clifford told the Evening Standard: "He's in a bad way at the Royal Free and is suffering from awful sickness and vomiting. It's not good news."

Another victim was also today severely ill with sickness and vomiting.

Birthday celebrations for newlywed Dawn Askham, who is 25 today, have been put on hold until she feels better.

Mr Clifford said Mrs Askham, from Falkirk in Scotland, has spent the night vomiting and is suffering from aching limbs so friends and family have been told to stay away.

The news comes as doctors await the results of tests on the first Briton suspected of being infected by human-to-human transmission of swine flu.

NHS worker Graeme Pacitti, 24, has been quarantined at home after falling ill following a night out with Dawn's husband Iain Askham, who was the first British man to contract the virus.

Tests will confirm today if Mr Pacitti also has the virus but Scottish health minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was "probable" the flu had passed between him and his friend.

Until now, all eight confirmed British cases originated in Mexico and this latest development could prompt the World Health Organisation to declare a full scale pandemic.

A positive result would be the second case of human-to-human transmission of the virus in Europe. A man in Spain went down with the illness earlier this week although he had not been to the infected area in Mexico.

Health experts fear Mr Pacitti became infected when he met up for a drink with Mr Askham — who did not know he had the virus — last week. Mr Askham, who was discharged from hospital yesterday, said: "We feel guilty that we could have infected our close family and friends and put their lives at risk."

The honeymooner also revealed how he feared he would die from the virus which the couple believe they caught from other passengers on the eight-hour flight from Cancun to Britain.

He said: "We were shocked when they told us we had the virus. We knew that people in Mexico were dying. You try and stay calm, but at the back of your mind there is the possibility you might die."

A total of 230 suspected cases in the UK are being investigated so far with eight people now diagnosed in Britain including two cases in London.

The virus has also now been found in the Netherlands and Switzerland as well as Peru.

The virus is currently largely affecting young people.

This is because as we grow older, we come into contact with flu viruses and build up basic immunity to them.

Scientists confirmed it could take up to five months for an anti-flu vaccine to be ready.

A team of 20 experts is working round the clock at a special laboratory in Mill Hill to develop a jab.