'We just thought it was jet lag', say newlyweds who caught swine flu and brought it to UK



A crucial four-day delay in isolating the British honeymoon couple who contracted swine flu in Mexico meant they came into close contact with hundreds of potential victims.

Iain Askham, 27, and his wife Dawn, 24, returned home to Scotland from their dream honeymoon in Cancun feeling drained and under the weather.

Assuming their symptoms were nothing more than a dose of jet lag and a common cold, they waited two days before seeing a doctor.

Iain and Dawn Askham, from Polmont, near Falkirk, are the first UK cases of the swine flu disease after returning from honeymoon in Mexico

Though they were inspected by a health professional last Thursday, it was not until the Saturday - when fears of a global spread of swine flu emerged - that the couple were treated in isolation in hospital.

During those four days the newlyweds came into close contact with hundreds of people, including fellow passengers, work colleagues, relatives and friends in their home town of Polmont, near Falkirk.

Those who they saw face an anxious wait to discover if they have caught the flu strain.



Medical experts say that people who have come into contact with swine flu should be 'all clear' if they show no symptoms after seven days.

The couple, who are the first confirmed cases of swine flu in Britain, yesterday expressed their 'shock' at testing positive for the illness.

They remained in isolation in Monklands Hospital, Airdrie, last night. No decision has been made as to when they will be released.

Happy couple: The Askhams in their wedding finery

Nine people they have been in contact with since returning home are showing 'mild, cold-like' symptoms and are being tested for swine flu. Another 14 cases are under investigation.

Scotland's chief medical officer said most of the suspected cases were aged in their 20s or 30s, as were most of the victims in Mexico.

This is worrying as the 1918-19 'Spanish flu' pandemic which killed more than 50million also disproportionately affected the young and healthy.

Among those who have been tested for the flu strain are workers at the local Boots where Mrs Askham worked as a pharmaceutical dispenser.

One staff member said yesterday: 'When we found out Dawn had contracted swine flu we were really concerned.

'What's particularly worrying is knowing that a disease which has killed more than 150 people in Mexico has come into this shop. Those working directly with her have been given medication and have been sent home.

'I just hope Dawn and her husband recover and I hope no one else at Boots gets it.'

First British victims: Iain Askham and wife Dawn at their wedding earlier this month. They fell ill during their honeymoon in Mexico

Wedding bliss: They take their first dance after becoming man and wife

Members of Mr Askham's six-a-side football team FC Mallard have also been caught up in the scare. Its players had been due to play tonight, but the fixture has been cancelled as a precaution.

Mr Askham, an analyst for a power company, and his wife headed for the popular resort of Cancun after tying the knot on April 4. It is thought they contracted swine flu towards the end of their trip.

Both sets of the couple's parents revealed yesterday how they had been given anti-viral treatment because they had come into close contact with their offspring on their return from Mexico.

In a statement released to the media, the family statement said: 'We are delighted that they continue to make good progress and they remain in good spirits.

'They were both quite shocked that the result was positive for swine flu but are relieved that their symptoms have been very mild.



'We are aware that some close friends have displayed some mild symptoms, having been in close contact with Dawn and Iain, and we understand they are receiving treatment and are being closing monitored.

'This is an incredibly difficult time for us all.'

Tourist hotspot: Thousands of Britons fly to Cancun every year

Neighbours in the pebble-dashed houses in the couple's street spoke of their shock at the developments.

Rachel Anderson, who lives across the road, said: 'On Saturday one of the neighbours noticed a paramedic on the street and they have not seen the them since.

'It is a shame for them and I feel for their family. They will be very worried. It's not the kind of honeymoon you want.'

Another neighbour, James Carswell, added: 'It was a bit of a shock when I heard this morning. I heard there was a couple in Monklands Hospital but I had no idea it was someone across the road.'





Second honeymoon couple under 'house arrest'



A second couple who became ill after returning from their honeymoon in Mexico have been quarantined in their home as they wait to find out if they have contracted the swine flu virus.

Pete and Jenny Marshall said they had been told to stay at their house in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh with their friend Gemma O'Brien, who had been looking after the property, until they get test results back in five days.

The couple have stocked up on DVDs and takeaway food for their time indoors.



The newlyweds were in Cancun around the same time as Iain and Dawn Askham from Polmont in Falkirk - the first two Britons confirmed with swine flu, who are now recovering in a Lanarkshire hospital.

Mr and Mrs Marshall and Ms O'Brien are among 23 suspected swine flu cases in Scotland.

The couple consulted doctors after arriving back in the UK last week.

They said they were then told to stay in quarantine for five days, along with Ms O'Brien, 27, from London, who had been temporarily staying in their house.

Mr Marshall, 37, a flower wholesaler, told the Daily Record: 'We were feeling great on holiday. It was the best time of our lives.

'My wife felt ill when we got back with a kind of sickness bug and with the news this weekend, I started to get a bit worried.'

He added: 'Jenny's feeling a lot better but she's still not 100 per cent. Now I'm starting to get a runny nose and am a bit blocked up.''