MORE people in the Westcountry are likely to be suffering from swine flu than records suggest, health chiefs have admitted, as further cases of the illness were confirmed yesterday.

A teacher at Kelly College, the Tavistock school, was the latest victim in the region although the school's headmaster said the outbreak was under control.

Elsewhere, the illness appeared to be spreading at the private Bolitho school in Penzance, West Cornwall, where nine sixth-formers succumbed to the illness two weeks ago.

Headmaster David Dobson, who said the school had been advised by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to stay open, confirmed the single new case was on the main school site as opposed to the sixth form building.

In Exeter, 14 children at St Sidwell's C of E Primary School were kept away from lessons yesterday following another suspected outbreak. There were also two confirmed cases at Colyton Grammar School in East Devon.

Swabs have also been taken from construction workers at a power station being built on the outskirts of Plymouth after a staff member was diagnosed with the virus.

In the seven county-wide South West, nine new cases of swine flu were confirmed yesterday bringing the total for the region up to 173.

More than 15 staff and students at the University of Exeter, two people in Plymouth and a child at an Exeter nursery are all included in the figures.

The South West still has one of the lowest levels of swine flu in the country, compared to 1,794 cases in London and 2,424 in the West Midlands. The UK total currently stands at 6,929.

Asked whether there were more cases of swine flu apparent in the region, given most cases so far have been categorised as mild, a spokesman for the HPA said: "There will be. Quite how much bigger is very difficult to determine. But the numbers we have will be confirmed cases that have been through laboratory testing.

"Clearly there will be people with such mild symptoms they have not been calling GPs or NHS Direct and going through the process. It's to be expected."

The HPA says "catch it, bin it, kill it"-style advice still holds true and people suffering from flu-like symptoms are advised to telephone NHS Direct of their GP before making an appointment to see a doctor.

On Friday, two teachers at Kelly College were suspected to have caught swine flu after coming into contact with friends in Exeter subsequently found to be carrying the illness.

After the initial swabs were lost, leading to a "frustrating" delay, headmaster Dr Graham Hawley yesterday announced just one of the two tested positive.

He said the teachers remained isolated throughout their illness and there is no evidence the virus has spread to anyone else.

Bolitho school said the latest pupil to be struck down by swine flu had not attended since June 18 – around the time of the original breakout – and that all other results have been negative.

At the site of the Langage Power Station in Plymouth, construction company Alstom said two men suspected to have the virus were sent home. An Alstom spokesman said work is continuing on the site as usual.