Two women are among the eight Bristol University students confirmed as having swine flu.

Friends Lucy Clarke and Sophie Pajak were diagnosed with the virus after they experienced symptoms last weekend.

Miss Pajak, 21, a third-year drama student, of Berkeley Square, Clifton, went to the doctor on Monday after she had a fever, hot and cold sweats, a cough and a sore throat.

On Wednesday tests confirmed she had the H1N1 swine flu virus.

She was immediately quarantined and put on a course of Tamiflu anti-viral medication.

Two of her housemates and Miss Clarke were also tested, quarantined and given medication on Wednesday, and four other students were confirmed as having swine flu on Thursday.

Since the diagnosis, Miss Pajak, her housemates and Miss Clarke have responded well to treatment, and are now allowed to leave their homes.

Miss Clarke, 21, a third-year law student who lives in Cotham Road, Cotham, began to feel ill on Sunday.

She said: "I woke up on Sunday morning and had a sore throat and was a bit croaky.

"I thought it was a bit odd and put it down to having a late night and being tired as I was doing my finals.

"But when I got home on Sunday night, and through to Monday, I felt awful.

"I slept really badly and had a fever. I had a high temperature, I was shaking, shivering and sweating and had aching muscles."I was finding it hard to breathe, like I had asthma, and that was the worst of it.

"I had read the leaflet about it and matched the symptoms exactly, but said to my housemate I thought I was being a bit melodramatic.

"I didn't really think about it, and then I got better."

By the time her diagnosis was confirmed she only had a slight cough. Along with Miss Pajak, she was quarantined for 48 hours, from Wednesday to Friday.

But by last night doctors said the pair were well enough to go to their graduation ball.

The two women's housemates who didn't show symptoms were put on a precautionary dose of Tamiflu.

None have so far shown real signs of having the virus, but one of Miss Clarke's housemates was banned from flying to Budapest on Wednesday for a football tour.

It is not clear how any of the eight students contracted the virus.

None are thought to have been in contact with anyone who has been to Mexico or any of the other swine flu hot spots.

Miss Clarke said she was shocked to hear her friend had the virus.

"I wasn't scared at any point," she said. "If I had known on Monday when I was in the height of it I might have been, but I was over it by the time it came to light.

"I had spent so long on the phone to university officials, hospitals and the Health Protection Agency I just wasn't fazed by it."I wasn't hospitalised or really ill for more than a couple of days, so it wasn't too bad.

"My parents thought it was quite exciting, rather than being worried about me.

"If Sophie hadn't been tested we would have just thought it was nasty flu.

"I never thought it was a killer disease, but because of the hype, people were looking at us like we were lepers."

Laurence Knight, a spokesman for the Health Protection Agency, said the agency was working closely with the university to contain the outbreak.

He said: "The eight students are experiencing mild symptoms and are responding well to treatment and have been staying away from other unaffected students in their shared accommodation.

"Those in close contact have been given preventative doses of the same anti-viral drug.

"It is infectious when you have the symptoms, but once you have cleared the virus from your system, other people are then not at risk."

From the Bristol Evening Post.