OXFORDSHIRE health officials yesterday gave out conflicting answers about when exactly a six-year-old girl was confirmed as having swine flu.

Oxfordshire PCT first alerted the public on Saturday afternoon that the youngster — who had recently returned from Mexico — was the first person in the county to have been confirmed as having swine flu.

It refused to name the girl — who has made a full recovery, according to the PCT — or her school, Sandhills Primary in Oxford, saying no pupils or teachers were at risk of contracting the bug H1N1.

Some parents were critical about the amount of information the PCT released, saying it caused more panic.

The Oxford Mail submitted questions to the PCT trying to get definite answers about when the girl fell ill.

Asked when it was confirmed that the girl had swine flu the PCT said Saturday, May 2.

But in reply to another question it said the school and county council were informed that someone from the school had been tested and found to be a confirmed case on Friday afternoon.

The PCT again defended its continued decision not to name the school to avoid the risk of the child being identified. It also warned that it would “not be giving a running commentary on suspected cases of swine flu in the area.”

But Oxfordshire County Council yesterday confirmed that it is to meet with health bodies to review present policies on the release of information about swine flu.

Roz Smith, county councillor for Barton and Churchill, said the matter had been badly mishandled by the health authority and Oxfordshire county council, as the local education authority.

She said: “If I was a parent, grandparent or staff member I would have liked more openness. The school head is not at all at fault. But the council and the PCT got it wrong, causing more anxiety than there needed to be.

“This response just beggars belief. The confusion we are now seeing is just spreading panic among parents who do not know what to believe any more.”

City councillor for Barton and Sandhills Patrick Murray said: “You must respect local people enough to trust them with information. If you do not put out up to date information you can create unnecessary panic.

“The management of information is important. How can you hope to reassure people if you are not telling them what the situation is. Clearly in this situation panic can spread. People at the school certainly had the right to know and so did the staff.”

The leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Keith Mitchell, said the council would be reviewing the existing swine flu policy with the PCT and the Health Protection Agency.

He said. “We are listening to what people have to say and discussing the appropriateness of the policy. But it is a fine judgement between publishing early information, that might not be 100 per cent verified, trying to meet the desire of parents to know, and getting it right.”

John Mitchell, of the county council’s children, young people and families department, said: “ The message is that the young girl who had flu is recovering extremely well and consequently the school is safe for kids to return to. There is no need for parents to be worried.”

l Four new cases of swine flu have been diagnosed in England, bringing the total number of UK cases to 32, the Department of Health said yesterday.

Those newly diagnosed are all adults and are spread across England, in the North West, East, East Midlands and West Midlands.

A spokesman for the DH said there were now 28 cases in England and four in Scotland