Queens' Paul Burns recovering from virus

Jun 10 2009 by Craig Robertson, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

QUEEN of the South star Paul Burns is recovering after being diagnosed with swine flu.

The 25-year-old was bed-ridden for a week with the virus which is sweeping across the country.

And it almost forced the Palmerston midfielder to cancel a holiday with fiancée, Cheryl.

But he was given the all-clear by doctors earlier this month and the couple are now enjoying a break in America before training resumes.

Yesterday, his dad, James Burns, told the Standard: “He had a touch of swine flu for a week.

“He wasn’t feeling well and went to the doctors, they ran some tests on him and it came back that he had it. He wasn’t taken into hospital or anything but was just told to rest for a week.

“He was feeling lethargic and just felt like he had the normal flu.”

Paul, who lives in Cumnock with Cheryl, was told to get plenty of rest at home.

Mr Burns said: “He was still allowed to see his fiancée, it wasn’t so bad that he couldn’t see anyone.

“He was feeling better and went back to the doctors who gave him the all clear.

“It is quite scary when you hear it was swine flu but he’s fine. He’s away on holiday now before he gets back into training with the club.”

It’s not thought anyone else at the club has been feeling unwell.

A club spokesman said it was unlikely as the players have not been mixing and most, as well as the manager, are on holiday.

Queen’s captain Jim Thomson said yesterday: “I did speak to Paul a couple of weeks ago and he did say he felt like he had the flu.

“I don’t think any of the other lads are feeling unwell.”

Paul has been playing for Queens’ first team since 2002 and has been a major player in the squad for the past few years.

He famously scored for the club against Aberdeen in last year’s Scottish Cup semi-final.

Meanwhile, three possible cases of swine flu are being investigated in Dumfries and Galloway.

Health chiefs have said they are awaiting the results of tests which were expected to return last night.

So far there are no confirmed cases in the region, with another suspected case last week proving negative.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway has said it has significant stockpiles of two antiviral drugs which can be used to treat the H1N1 strain of swine flu.

There are 43 new confirmed cases of Influenza A (H1N1) in Scotland, bringing the total to 232.

Thirty-six of the 43 new cases are in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde; three are in the Highlands; two are in Lanarkshire; and one each in Ayrshire and Fife.