A 12-YEAR-OLD girl from Paisley was today confirmed as the latest new victim of swine flu in Scotland, taking the total with the bug to more than 500.

A 12-YEAR-OLD girl from Paisley was today confirmed as the latest new victim of swine flu in Scotland, taking the total with the bug to more than 500.

The youngster is a pupil at Heriot Primary, Foxbar, which has not been closed.

Health bosses said the school would remain open because the pupil had not had any contact with other pupils while suffering from the virus.

Letters have been sent to parents advising them about the confirmed case.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "Public Health interviewed the pupil and her family contacts and established the pupil was not symptomatic when she was at school. So there was no public health reason to take action to alert the wider school community."

It follows news that a Lanarkshire female teacher also has the virus.

She takes S6 pupils at St Andrew's and St Bride's High in East Kilbride and also works as a volunteer at Universal Connections, a youth centre in Rutherglen.

Six pupils and a teacher at the school and 14 young people and nine staff at the youth centre have been given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu and told to stay away for a week. The school will remain open.

In East Renfrewshire, seven children aged 3-12 have been diagnosed with the virus, as has a worker at the B&Q store in Darnley, Glasgow.

In Thornliebank, a five-year-old pupil at Our Lady Of The Missions Primary has been confirmed, as has a three-year-old at Glenwood Nursery, which was revealed in later editions of yesterday's Evening Times.

In Newton Mearns, a five-year-old boy at St Cadoc's Primary has been diagnosed, along with two S1 pupils at Mearns Castle High, while a further two 13-year-olds at Eastwood High also tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

The East Renfrewshire schools will remain open because public health officials are no longer working to contain the virus in the Greater Glasgow area.

The victims are among 351 possible new cases seen by doctors in the Glasgow area over the last 24 hours.

A further 10 patients from the city and its surrounds have been diagnosed following laboratory testing.

This week Jacqueline Fleming, 38, of Carnwadric, Glasgow, became the first person outside the Americas to die from swine flu.

REVEALED: Expert tips on how to cut risk

What is swine flu?Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by a strain of the influenza type A virus known as H1N1. The virus has made the jump from pigs to humans and is now passing easily from person to person. Swine flu is transmitted in the same way as other types of flu, through coughing, sneezing and touching contaminated surfaces.

What does a pandemic mean?

A disease is classed as a pandemic when it becomes a worldwide epidemic. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this means the virus is spreading in the community in two or more counties in one region of the world, and at least one country in another region of the world. A pandemic signifies phase 6 - the highest level of threat.

What are the symptoms of swine flu?

Around 140 people have died so far from swine flu but the illness is mostly causing mild symptoms at present. Some health experts believe the virus could mutate and become more deadly as the UK moves into winter. Symptoms of swine flu include fever and flu-like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, limb or joint aches and pains, and headaches. Some people have reported suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea.

What steps can I take to prevent catching swine flu?

People can reduce their risk and help slow the spread of the virus. People should wash their hands regularly and catch coughs and sneezes in tissues which should then be promptly thrown away. The flu virus can linger on all types of surfaces for up to 24 hours and is easily transferred via the fingers to the mouth, nose or eyes.

Which groups of people are most at risk from swine flu?

Seasonal winter flu usually strikes the elderly and very young but current indications are that swine flu is targeting people of working age. The suggestion is that older people may have some immunity to this type of flu from when they were younger. Groups at risk of complications include people on immunosuppressants, those with asthma or a chest disease and diabetics.

What treatments are there?

Flu viruses have the ability to mutate, which makes it difficult to predict what will happen. However, testing has shown that H1N1 can be treated with the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, which comes in the form of an inhaler. These drugs are not a "cure" for swine flu but can help reduce symptoms and cut the length of time somebody is ill. The UK has enough Tamiflu to cover half of the population but orders are in place for 50million doses enough to cover 80% of the population. Pharmaceutical companies are working on a swine flu vaccine which will not be available until the end of the year.