More than 30 children in Bedford and Central Beds have been taken out of school after being diagnosed with swine flu and health officials believe more will follow.

Greenfield Lower School has seen most cases of the influenza virus, with five pupils showing symptoms.

Four pupils at Redborne Upper School in Ampthill and two at Kingsmoor Lower School in Flitwick are also suspected to have contracted the virus.

Education bosses at Central Beds Council also confirmed Woodland Middle School in Flitwick and Maulden Lower School had pupils with symptoms of swine flu.

A spokesman for Bedford Borough Council confirmed that there were a number of schools within its boundaries with pupils who were under observation with suspected swine flu, but said they could not comment on individual cases.

The problem has become so widespread that NHS Bedfordshire is now prescribing antiviral medication to anyone diagnosed with swine flu, rather than waiting for laboratory test results to confirm the virus's presence.

Dr Paul Cosford, regional director of public health, said: "The reason for the change in approach is because we have moved past the stage where swabbing patients and tracing contacts is practical or effective.

"The swine flu virus is spreading in communities and will continue to spread. We have seen the emergence of a number of clusters over the last couple of weeks; and so the NHS has moved to a 'treatment only 'phase – only treating those who are ill.

"Flu is a mild illness for the majority of people. But for a minority, it can become more serious so we are being cautious and providing anti-viral drugs to all."

The outbreak comes a week after the Times & Citizen reported a mother, father and their two children, who work and study at Dame Alice Harpur School, Bedford High School and Bedford Modern School, were put under observation after an immediate family member was diagnosed with the virus.

Schools in Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade, Sandy, Henlow and eight campuses in Dunstable also have pupils diagnosed with swine flu.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said cases are doubling every week and if it continues at this rate there could be more than 100,000 cases per day in the UK by the end of August. So far more than 7,000 people in the UK have contracted the virus and seven people have died.