In the news
The World Health Organisation overnight declared a global swine flu pandemic.
Don't be too alarmed by the P-word - the pandemic designation does not indicate that swine flu has become any more virulent.
What has changed is that it is accepted that swine flu is entrenched in more than one region of the world.
WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said: "... we are satisfied that this virus is spreading to a number of countries and it is not stoppable," she said.
"Moving to pandemic phase six level does not imply we will see an increase in the number of deaths or very severe cases.
"Quite on the contrary. Many people are having mild disease, they recover without medicines in some cases and it is good news," she said.
For now the virus was "pretty stable," but Chan warned that it could still mutate into a more deadly form.
The pandemic designation, which was always inevitable, indicates that we are in for the long haul - the pandemic will last months if not years.
WHO's top flu expert Keiji Fukuda said: "When you're talking about pandemic influenza, you are talking about a marathon, you are not talking about a sprint."
WHO has recommended drugmakers complete production of ordinary flu vaccine first before moving to producing a swine flu vaccine.
WHO will work with regulatory authorities to help fast-track approval of new pandemic vaccines that are safe and effective so that they can be made available as soon as possible, Chan said. The earliest first doses would be available is September, she added.
Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year and infects millions.
Almost 30,000 cases of swine flu have so far been confirmed globally, with 140 deaths.
The last pandemic - the Hong Kong flu of 1968 - killed about 1 million people.
WHO this morning reiterated its advice to its 193 member countries not to close borders or impose travel restrictions to halt the movement of people, goods and services. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also urged countries not to shut down travel and trade.
In New Zealand there has been 27 confirmed swine flu cases.
Health Minister Tony Ryall said the growing number of cases in New Zealand was anticipated and was not cause for alarm. The current containment strategy (putting people like myself into isolation) would be maintained for the time being, but in time we would likely have to move to a "community containment strategy".
This presumably means accepting that there is a point where it is no longer tenable to isolate everyone who may have had contact with swine flu, and to focus on good hygiene practice as people go about their everyday lives.
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Hey Aporkalypse, we're all in this together
I would head on down to Christchurch and stay with my folks,... except I too am in isolation already :-( Results hopefully later today.
Interesting that there is no dot in the south island when they have 2x cases down there. Maybe they don't count! When are your results due back?
Hey Guy, whilst your incarcerated I think it's about time you began work on "Aporkcalypse - The Musical".
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There's no red dot on the South Island. I'm thinking there will be a max exodus from the North to the South.