Rising numbers of swine flu cases are being reported at schools after pupils returned to the classroom following the summer break, figures showed today.

Hand gels are being introduced at schools in the West Midlands, after health bosses revealed at least 66 schools across the country had suffered swine flu outbreaks since the start of the school term earlier this month.

Health bosses expect are expecting a second wave of swine flu, and said today that the number of cases across the country had almost doubled in a week, from an estimated 5,000 to 9,000.

But they admitted data from schools was not systematically collected and that the expected number affected was higher.

Bosses at schools in the region today said they were prepared for a second wave of swine flu.

Mick Murphy, headteacher at Claregate Primary School in Chester Avenue, said: “We’ve got a pandemic flu policy, which we’re ready to put into action, but to my knowledge we’ve only ever had one reported case.”

Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson said while the number of cases was still relatively low, the signs showed a second wave of swine flu could be on its way.

Meanwhile, a swine flu vaccine to be used in the UK has been approved by European regulators, it was announced today.

The European Medicines Agency has recommended to the European Commission that Pandemrix, made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), be granted a licence for use across Europe, including the UK.

Another vaccine intended for use in the UK, made by Baxter, is still being considered by the European Medicines Agency.

The European Commission will probably rubber-stamp the decision on the GSK vaccine in the next few weeks.

GSK has not yet delivered stocks of its vaccine to the Government, a spokesman for the Department of Health said.

Some stocks of the Baxter vaccine have already arrived.