A 28-year-old man from Powys has been confirmed as having swine flu, the first case to hit the county. The man has been offered antivirals and is said to be recovering from the virus.

It is not yet known if he had been travelling or whether he caught the virus in this country.

The National Public Health Service for Wales said it had also identified six of his close contacts who were all well and have been offered antiviral medicine.

The man is the fifth case of swine flu to be confirmed in Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government said.

Last month a woman from Telford became Shropshire’s first case of swine flu, after returning from a trip to the United States.

The woman, believed to be in her 30s, is understood to be suffering only mild symptons of the virus and was being treated at home.

It was also revealed yesterday that a three-year-old boy from Ceredigion is also recovering from the virus.

Rory Powell, assembly spokesman, said no further details will be confirmed or denied about cases in order to protect people’s right to confidentiality.

There are now 2,508 laboratory confirmed cases in the UK – five in Wales, 566 in Scotland, 1,923 in England and 14 in Northern Ireland.

Dr Tony Jewell, chief medical officer for Wales, said the virus was still generally mild in patients.

But he added: ““We have warned that we need to expect that, with large numbers of people contracting swine flu, there will be deaths, particularly in patients with underlying health conditions.”