A Powys woman has been admitted to hospital after being struck down with swine flu.

Health officials said the 45-year-old had been to Spain, where it is believed she contracted the illness.

They have not revealed which part of Wales the woman is from, but warned today that the incidence of swine flu will rise in Wales as the virus spreads.

The woman is one of two new confirmed cases of people who have contracted swine flu in Wales.

A Welsh Assembly report said that about 426 people in Wales had contacted their GPs in the last seven days with flu-like symptoms although not all will have swine flu as doctors are no longer being asked to test patients.

“There have been 64 laboratory confirmed cases in Wales, with two new cases including a 45-year-old woman from Powys,” chief medical officer for Wales Dr Tony Jewell said.

“Her illness is linked to travel from Spain. She has been admitted to hospital, been offered anti-viral medicine, and is recovering.”

The other person is a 28-year-old woman from Cardiff whose illness was also linked to travel from Spain.

Wales has been the least affected part of Britain, with 14.2 cases of flu-like illnesses diagnosed by GPs out of every 100,000 people compared with 23.6 cases per 100,000 people in Scotland and 51.9 in England.

Fifteen people in the UK with swine flu have died – all but one had underlying health conditions.

People are being advised that if they develop flu-like symptoms they should stay at home and check them using the various sources of information supplied.

Anybody with severe symptoms needs to contact their GP or NHS Direct services.