Young boy diagnosed with swine flu in the North

Six-year-old said to be in ‘serious but stable’ condition

Diagram of a H1N1 particle. It is unclear whether the boy picked up the virus in Northern Ireland. Photograph: PASIEKA/SPL
Diagram of a H1N1 particle. It is unclear whether the boy picked up the virus in Northern Ireland. Photograph: PASIEKA/SPL

A six year old boy from Northern Ireland has been diagnosed with swine flu, according to reports.

The boy from east Belfast became unwell over the weekend and was admitted to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, the BBC reports. He was later transferred to a hospital in Glasgow where he was said to be in a "serious but stable" condition.

It is unclear whether the virus was picked up in the North but it is understood the boy’s family had previously travelled outside the country.

A number of people in the North died three years ago during an outbreak of the H1N1 virus, the majority of them had underlying conditions.