All-clear on typhoid test man

The 18-year-old, from St Mellons, an insurance worker at Lloyds TSB in Duffryn, has been diagnosed as having a severe stomach bug which he contracted during a recent holiday in Spain.

Yesterday a spokeswoman for Lloyds TSB said: "He believed he had typhoid when he came back from holiday, but he has now been diagnosed as having a severe stomach bug."

A spokesman for Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust said: "We are not waiting on any further tests for typhoid."

The four confirmed cases of typhoid, which involve three young people all from the Pill area, are being treated at the Royal Gwent Hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.

One of the teenagers is 13-year-old Anne-Marie Hughes, of Dolphin Street, but the other three are as yet unnamed.

A staff nurse at the hospital said last night: "They are all in a comfortable position but we are unable to comment on when we think they will be released."

Sam's Kebab Shop, at Commercial Road in Pill, has closed voluntarily as health experts investigate a possible link with the outbreak.

A council spokeswoman told the Argus that there was no indication of when the investigation into the source of the outbreak would be completed.

"There is no time limit on the investigation. When there is an update on the situation, we will let people know," she said.

Earlier this week the Argus reported how Pill residents slammed the council for keeping them in the dark in what local resident Jan Preece called "a veil of secrecy". The council have said that a typhoid information leaflet will shortly be available from their premises and from businesses within the Pill area.

Typhoid is a bacterial infection transmitted via food or water from urine or faeces of infected people.

Symptoms include a fever lasting several days and GPs have been informed to look out for the signs.

Members of the public who are concerned they have been suffering symptoms should contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or their local GP.