An Oxford University student has become the ninth person in the city to be diagnosed with swine flu.

The postgraduate zoology student contracted the disease overseas while visiting Phoenix in Arizona.

Dr Ian Brown, University's director of occupational health explained, "The student started to feel unwell while in Arizona, and has been at home in isolation since returning to the UK.

"He has been treated with Tamiflu and is now feeling well and asymptomatic.

"Given the size of the university and the number of academics and students who travel overseas, this is not an unexpected development and is not a cause for concern."

The World Health Organisation warned it was getting closer to declaring a global outbreak of the virus.

The disease has reached 64 countries and infected 18,965 people, killing 117.

The majority of cases and deaths have been reported in Mexico and the US, but increasingly the virus is spreading in Europe and Australia.

The Oxfordshire Care Trust urges all to protect themselves from infection through correct respiratory and hand hygiene practice.