Swine flu in Wellington: 36 isolated

20 suspected cases in Wellington/Hutt Valley/Wairarapa

The number of suspected swine flu cases in New Zealand continues to climb - even as the World Health Organisation has dismissed claims 152 have died.
Are you in isolation in Wellington or do you know someone who is? Email news@dompost.co.nz or ring 0800 DOMPOST

Health officials in New Zealand have classified 14 people, including 12 from Rangitoto College, as having swine flu after three tests came back positive.

A test taken from a fourth sample sent to the WHO'S Melbourne's lab had insufficient "definitive matter" to draw a result, officials said this afternoon.

A WHO representative said today the agency had officially recorded only seven swine flu deaths around the world.

Reports have put the likely death toll from the virus at 152, with Mexican officials confirming 20 deaths. The number of cases under observation in Mexico alone has reportedly reached 1614.

But Vivienne Allan, from the WHO's patient safety program, said the body had confirmed that worldwide there had been just seven deaths - all in Mexico - and 79 confirmed cases of the disease.

"That figure is not a figure that's come from the World Health Organisation and, I repeat, the death toll is seven and they are all from Mexico," Ms Allan told ABC Radio on Wednesday morning.

Earlier today eleven passengers arriving from central America or the United States were classified as having suspected swine flu following border examinations. They were given the anti-viral drug Tamiflu and put into isolation while samples are tested.

Four of the group were admitted to Middlemore Hospital because they were in transit to other airports and could not be sent home. An additional passenger needed hospital treatment but would also be released today.

"Earlier they were being treated in hospital," Director-General of Health Stephen McKernan said."[But] they will all be moving out to some arranged accommodation."

The accommodation would most likely be motels, but Health Ministry National Pandemic Planning coordinator Steve Brazier said emergency pandemic plans included establishing an isolation facility.

"We've got plans do that. At this stage we don't plan to implement them."

There are 20 suspected cases of swine flu in the Wellington/Hutt Valley/Wairarapa area. At least 179 people are in isolation nationwide, including 36 in Wellington and 37 in Christchurch. No figures are available for Auckland.

NEW SWINE FLU POWERS

The Government today took steps that make swine flu a notifiable disease. Papers were this afternoon been gazetted to add swine flu to a 2006 law - drawn up at the height of fears of a bird flu pandemic - to allow a range of responses, including forced quarantine.

The move adds swine flu to the four other diseases considered serious enough for the most draconian responses to control an epidemic: human-transmitted bird flu, yellow fever, cholera and the plague.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said this morning that an "order in council" had been drawn-up.

Health Ministry National Pandemic Planning coordinator Steve Brazier said the move was "a precautious step" as so far everyone potentially infected by swine flu had co-operated and voluntarily gone into isolation.

"[Not having] this hasn’t been a barrier to this point. People have been very co-operative."

TOURISTS 'SHOULDN'T WORRY'

Travellers to New Zealand should not be concerned about cases of swine flu being confirmed, Prime Minister John Key said.

"I still believe it's very safe to travel to New Zealand, while there have been one or two cases reported we are getting on top of those pretty quickly."

Mr Key told reporters today the confirmation of the cases last night was expected.

He said it was good that the young people affected were recovering and said no one outside of Mexico had died of swine flu.

"We've just got to work hard now to contain it as best as we can and make sure people get treatment."

Mr Key said the cases had had a minor impact on tourism with some Japanese visitors cancelling trips here and India had a travel warning.

"But that's about it, it's important to put it in perspective. It's highly likely that most countries will have some outbreak of swine flu, New Zealand is handling it well, we've got high stocks of Tamiflu, we're taking the situation seriously but obviously it is a concern to us that there could be a side impact on tourism activities here in New Zealand."

Mr Key said some New Zealanders would also be put off travel.

He said New Zealand media had got the health message out to the public and they were well informed.

MORE CASES FLYING IN

Director-General of Health Stephen McKernan said five passengers on a Qantas flight that had stopped off in Auckland today were exhibiting some symptoms of the disease.

They had been checked at Middlemore Hospital and now were isolated while undergoing a course of Tamiflu.

Another six New Zealanders on flights today who had some symptoms were put on a Tamiflu course and sent home.

Swine flu arrived in New Zealand on Saturday on Air New Zealand flight NZ1 from Los Angeles.

On board the flight was a group of students, teachers and parents from Auckland's Rangitoto College who had visited Mexico.

Some began showing flu symptoms and test results back from Melbourne yesterday confirmed three of them had swine flu.

By late this afternoon there were 14 confirmed cases.

Health officials said today the number of people subject to swine flu precautions could change daily, and notifications would become more widespread.

Another person who was on NZ1 but separate from the group also tested positive to influenza A today, as did a separate traveller who has recently been to the United States or Mexico.

Both were considered likely to have contracted swine flu and were being treated as such.

Along with those 14, and excluding today's airport cases, there were another 31 suspected cases around the country, with 179 people in isolation with symptoms.

On the world stage today, 19 countries had suspected swine flu cases, including Australia, which had over 100 suspected cases.

New Zealand deputy public health director Fran McGrath said it was too early to say why swine flu was proving so lethal in Mexico while those infected here were showing more mild effects.

''We know that different types of common infections like influenza often do have different patterns in different countries, depending on the state of wellbeing of people and depending on how it is happening in that country,'' she said.

Even in New Zealand, influenza presented with different patterns throughout a winter season.

Totals of people in isolation, outside of Auckland: Canterbury 37, Wellington 36, Nelson 24, Taranaki 17, Waikato 17, Manawatu-Wanganui 16, Otago-Southland 15, Bay of Plenty 9, Hawke's Bay 8.

- The Dominion Post, Stuff.co.nz and NZPA