SOUTH Norfolk Council has pledged that its frontline services will continue as normal after reporting its first cases of swine flu.

SOUTH Norfolk Council has pledged that its frontline services will continue as normal after reporting its first cases of swine flu.

Officials at the council, which has 400 workers, said the local authority had policies in place to ensure that key services were not affected after two members of staff contracted the virus.

The two workers, who are based at the council's Long Stratton headquarters, are recovering at home and are believed to be suffering from only mild symptoms.

David Bills, cabinet member for the environment, health and leisure, said on Tuesday: 'We can confirm two cases of swine flu among council staff. The council has plans in place to ensure its services continue and staff and councillors have been advised of the steps to take if they believe they have the symptoms.'

Health bosses are unable to confirm the exact numbers of people in Norfolk with swine flu but several businesses, colleges and schools have been struck down with the virus in the past few days.

Nationally, around 10,000 Britons have been confirmed with swine flu and 17 people have died after contracting the virus. The government has also ordered enough swine flu to cover the entire population.

The news comes after South Norfolk Council reported earlier this month a 35pc improvement in the number of staff sick days, which fell from an average of 8.16 days in 2007/08 to 5.34 days in 2008/09. 168 members of staff also achieved 100pc attendance last year.

Anyone who suspects they have swine flu is asked to contact their GP, who will arrange for patients to receive anti-viral drugs, based on their symptoms.

People can check their symptoms on www.nhs.uk, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47, or the swine flu information line on 0800 1 513 513.