Please pray for the swine flu!

Three new confirmed cases of swine flu have been diagnosed in the UK, bringing the total number to eight, the Department of Health has said.

Two of the cases are in London and one in Newcastle, where two students who shared a house with the patient are now being treated with an antiviral drug.

Earlier, the government's chief medical adviser warned that Britain will see "many, many more cases" of swine flu.

In total, 230 possible flu cases are being investigated in the UK.

The figures include 27 "possible" and one "probable" case in Scotland, according to Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

We are trying to contain it at that level, and we are still succeeding with that. But it is very important that we prepare for that next phase. Health Secretary Alan Johnson

She said one patient waiting to hear whether he has swine flu had been in contact with a Falkirk couple who brought the virus back from Mexico.

Ms Sturgeon said: "If this case was confirmed it would be the first case in Scotland of onward transmission, but I stress it's not confirmed at this stage."

In Wales 19 people have been tested for the virus, but there are no confirmed cases, said health officials. Six people in Northern Ireland have also been given anti-viral drugs as a precaution, but none of them has tested positive either.

On Thursday, Irish health chiefs said one man had tested positive for swine flu - the Republic's first.

Despite advice from the World Health Organization that governments should activate their pandemic contingency plans, UK health experts continued to play down the effects of the virus.

More vulnerable

Chief medical adviser Sir Liam Donaldson told the BBC the UK was well prepared for the spread of swine flu and that he was "concerned, but not alarmed" about the situation.

He said: "What we will see is many, many more cases, and inevitably some serious cases - but on the whole people make a good recovery from flu."

It was impossible to predict how many deaths there could be in the UK until more was known about the strain of the swine flu virus, he said.

But certain groups would be more vulnerable than others, such as the elderly and very frail, he added.

Sir Liam's reassurances were backed by the news that so far six of the British flu cases have responded well to treatment.

The Newcastle patient had recently returned from Mexico, according to the Registrar of Newcastle University, Dr John Hogan.

He said that both the patient's housemates had received the antiviral Tamiflu.

"They and the university have been advised by the Health Protection Agency that there is no need for the students to isolate themselves from the community unless they show symptoms," he said.

BBC correspondent Chris Stewart said he understood four other close contacts of the patient - thought to be a woman - had also received antiviral drugs.

The patient herself had responded well to treatment and was now at home, he said.

CONFIRMED & SUSPECTED CASES Mexico: 168 suspected deaths US: One death, at least 109 confirmed cases Canada: 19 confirmed cases New Zealand: 13 confirmed cases Spain: 10 confirmed cases UK: Eight confirmed cases Ireland: One confirmed case Germany: Three confirmed cases Israel, Costa Rica: Two confirmed cases each Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Peru: One confirmed case each How the UK is trying to contain flu Swine flu couple leave hospital Mapping the outbreak Life at centre of the outbreak Swine flu: Your experiences

An NHS spokesman confirmed that of the two new confirmed cases in London, one was a 23-year-old man from Islington and the other a 29-year-old man from Westminster. The men, who both recently returned from Mexico, are being treated at home and responding well to treatment.

Earlier, Sir Liam had earlier ruled out screening all British travellers returning from Mexico, saying it was more important to "concentrate the public health attention" on those showing symptoms.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said UK health authorities were doing all they could to contain the virus, but were making preparations in case it spread.

"We are trying to contain it at that level, and we are still succeeding with that. But it is very important that we prepare for that next phase," Mr Johnson said.

Meanwhile an advertising campaign to help prevent the spread of the virus has been launched.

The Department of Health's Catch it, Bin it, Kill it! adverts urge people to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues, throw them away and wash their hands.

"When you cough or sneeze, your germs go everywhere. Fast. And once they've hit a surface, they can survive for hours," warns the Department of Health's print advert.

"Covering your mouth and nose with your hand won't stop them. But a tissue will."

School closed

At least six of the confirmed swine flu cases have been in people who have recently returned from Mexico, where there have been 168 suspected deaths.

They include a 41-year-old woman from Redditch, Worcestershire, a 22-year-old from Barnet, north London, a couple from near Falkirk and a 12-year-old from Devon.

The schoolgirl had been on the same flight home as the first patients confirmed in the UK, Iain and Dawn Askham, from Polmont, near Falkirk, who have now been released from hospital.

The girl is being treated at home and her condition is said to be "improving".

Her school, Paignton Community College, has been closed for at least seven days and pupils are being offered anti-viral drugs.

The Health Protection Agency said some 340 courses of treatment had so far been given out to the 267 pupils in the girl's year group and associated staff.

Meanwhile, hundreds of British tourists are flying home on special charter flights from Mexico, where the outbreak started.

SWINE FLU ADVICE Use clean tissues when you cough or sneeze Bin tissues after use Wash hands with soap, hot water or gel NHS: Important Information About Swine Flu [118 KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here

Announcing the level five alert on Wednesday, WHO director general Margaret Chan urged all countries to activate their pandemic plans, including heightened surveillance and infection-control measures.

She said action should be undertaken with "increased urgency", adding: "It really is the whole of humanity that is under threat in a pandemic."

The move followed the death of a 23-month-old Mexican child in Texas, US - the first death from swine flu outside Mexico.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown told a news conference on Thursday the government was taking "all the steps that are necessary to prepare and to protect the population" from the effects of the swine flu.

He had previously told the House of Commons this included enhanced airport checks, expanding anti-viral stocks from 35 million to 50 million by the end of May, ordering extra face masks and printing an information leaflet for every family.

Supplies of antibiotics are to be increased to deal with any complications arising as a result of flu infections.

The government's emergency committee Cobra, which was meeting again on Thursday morning, is also considering possible restrictions to large gatherings like concerts and sporting events.

NHS Direct has taken thousands of calls about swine flu this week, while daily visits to its website have reached 85,000, compared with about 55,000 a week earlier.

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The individual in Newcastle shares a house with two university students

A case of swine flu has been confirmed in Newcastle, according to a senior university official.

Newcastle University registrar Dr John Hogan said a case had been confirmed involving an individual who had recently returned from Mexico.

Dr Hogan said the person was not a student or member of staff, but lived in a house shared with two students.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the North East case was one of three more confirmed cases in England.

It brings the current number of confirmed UK cases to eight. The other two newly confirmed people with swine flu are from the London area.

Precautionary measure

The HPA said all had mild symptoms and were responding to treatment at home.

It said any close contacts of the three were being offered anti-virals as a precautionary measure.

Dr Hogan sent a letter to all students and staff at the university on Thursday.

In it he said neither of the students sharing the house had shown any flu-like symptoms and both had received the anti-viral Tamiflu.

He said the university had been advised by the HPA that there was no need for the students to isolate themselves unless they showed symptoms.