Swine flu: teacher in hospital

PM says country prepared

LATEST: One of the teachers in the Rangitoto College group who returned from Mexico on Saturday has been admitted to hospital with flu symptoms.

The school group has sparked national health emergency planning procedures by testing positive for Influenza A after their trip to Mexico, where the potentially deadly swine flu is sweeping the country and starting to spread around the world.

The teacher is the second person from the group to be sent to hospital for treatment.

The first was admitted over the weekend but has now been discharged after being treated with antivirals, a Ministry of Health spokesman said.

New Zealand health authorities are now waiting on further test results from the World Health Organisation (WHO) labouratory in Melbourne to confirm whether the school students have the particular strain that is swine flu.

The students, teachers and their families are now in home quarantine for an unspecified period of time.

Mexican officials have put the death toll from the new flu strain at 86, with 1400 sick, while cases have been reported in the United States, Canada, Spain, and France.

The Rangitoto College group returned to Auckland from Los Angeles on Air New Zealand flight NZ1, arriving at 5am on Saturday.

The flight carried 364 passengers plus crew.

Clinical director of the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, Julia Peters, said the focus over the weekend had been on dealing with the group of 22 students and three teachers who returned on a flight from Los Angeles on Saturday morning.

Ten have tested positive for influenza A, with authorities now awaiting further test results from the World Health Organisation (WHO) laboratory in Melbourne to confirm whether it is actually swine flu.

Rangitoto College principal David Hodge said the students, aged from 15-18 in years 11-13, had spent most of their time in Mexico City on a Spanish language trip.

The students, teachers and their families are now in home quarantine for an unspecified period of time.

A small number of students from Auckland's Northcote College, who also recently returned from Mexico, were understood to be exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

Mexican officials have put the death toll from the new flu strain at 81 and 1300 sick, while cases have been reported in the United States, Canada, Spain, and France.

The Rangitoto College group returned to Auckland from Los Angeles on Air New Zealand flight NZ1, arriving at 5am on Saturday.

The flight carried 364 passengers plus crew.

Ms Peters said while the weekend focus was on managing the sick school students, her staff would now begin following up with other passengers.

"Now that we know that this is an influenza A virus, possibly the swine flu virus, our attention will definitely be turning to all the contact tracing."

Ms Peters said only those passengers sitting close to the school group would be contacted today.

Ian Hooker, from Greymouth, said he had been sitting near the students but had not been contacted by authorities.

He was a school teacher and, although he felt well, wondered whether he should go to school today.

"Given the proximity of us to them we would have thought that some thought should have been given to quarantining, if not all the people on the aircraft, certainly the proximate people on the aircraft with a view to them not going to work," he told Radio New Zealand.

Ms Peters said the Public Health Service was not notified there were sick students on the flight until midday Saturday – too late to collect passenger locator cards which would have enabled immediate follow-up.

She said health authorities would have clear advice to other passengers on board NZ1 by late morning. In the meantime, anyone with concerns should contact their doctor.

Air New Zealand issued a statement this morning reiteriating the advice given by the Ministry of Health.

"The 364 passengers onboard that NZ1 flight are encouraged to consult with their GP or other health professional if they develop flu-like symptoms," the airline said.

"Air New Zealand is supplying that same information to its crew through its medical team.

"Air conditioning HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters on Air New Zealand aircraft filter 99.999 percent of airborne viruses including influenza.

"Aircraft are also cleaned upon arrival and the cleaning routine is in compliance with IATA cleaning requirements. The Ministry of Health has advised that no additional cleaning of the aircraft is required at this stage."

PRIME MINISTER: NZ 'PREPARED'

Today Prime Minister John Key said the Government was invoking its flu plan and health officials hiked the potential influenza epidemic status to yellow, just below the code red response phase.

"I think New Zealanders can be confident that the government has a plan, that plan was put in place quite a number of years ago when we were concerned about avian bird flu," Mr Key told Breakfast on TV One.

Mr Key said the plan set up since the 2003 bird flu scare meant New Zealand had good stocks of the anitviral drug Tamiflu  – about 1.4 million treatments and the single gateway into New Zealand via Auckland meant control was easier.

Options included people not being allowed on to Air New Zealand flights if they were ill and those who arrive at Auckland being sent by a doctor stationed there since 5am for checks.

He urged people who suspect they may have the flu to see a doctor, for sick people to stay home and precautions like hand washing and covering mouths when sneezing to be taken.

Mr Key said the 10 cases of influenza A appeared to be mild.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) laboratory in Melbourne would determine if the strain was actually swine flu.

'FREAKY' SITUATION

One of the 14 sick Rangitoto high school students, who has tested negative for the deadly flu, spoke with Radio New Zealand this morning.

The unnamed girl - who is currently in quarantine at her home – told how the group were in homestays for the last few days of their trip to Mexico.

"We were at the school with them and living with them for about three or four days of the trip but we were out and about basically every minute of the day."

"Some of us were getting coughs and stuff within the last few days of our trip," she said. 

The student said while she had been suffering a cough and the occasional headache the flu was "not really bothering" her.

The Department of Health had told her she could be in quarantine for up to a week.

"It is pretty surreal. It's sort of movie like, but it's alright. My mum is with me so we'll be all good amusing ourselves."

The situation didn’t really feel real, she said.

"I think that it's pretty freaky... some people might be freaking out about who they've been in contact with and whether their kid has it or not and it's a fair worry."

Rangitoto College principal David Hodge said the positive tests were a shock. "Naturally we are very anxious for the students and staff affected and their families.

"But our fears are tempered by the fact they are getting the best medical care possible. The response from the health authorities has been amazing. From the start, we erred on the side of caution."

Mr Hodge told Radio New Zealand this morning the school was open today after being given the all clear by health authorities.

The 22 students and three teachers affected were being closely monitored, he said.

Mr Hodge said a statement outlining the situation would be read aloud to school students today.

AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE

Health authorities have instituted a "Code Yellow", with district health boards on alert and airport surveillance beefed up.

Travellers arriving into Auckland Airport  from North America this morning were issued with a public health warning.

New Zealand health authorities last night put the alert status for response to a potential influenza epidemic up from white to yellow, a stand-by phase which is one below the code red response phase.

"So far, touch wood, things to be relatively under control," said Steve Brazier, the Health Ministry's national co-ordinator for emergency planning.

If the situation deteriorated, the ministry would "ramp up" its response, moving into the code red phase.

This would involve far more intensive work at border entry points, ring-fencing outbreaks within New Zealand, and continuing to treat patients with Tamiflu.

The effectiveness of Tamiflu on swine flu was not yet confirmed, but reports from Mexico indicated it was effective.

The Deputy Director-General of Health, Darren Hunt, said anyone returning from affected areas who had influenza symptoms should seek urgent medical attention.

"It's important to recognise that while we are concerned because there have been deaths reported overseas, the cases being reported in the United States are all relatively mild and there are no deaths reported there.

"None of the New Zealand cases are particularly severe."

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry has also issued a travel notice for people returning from Mexico, California and Texas.

STOP THE SPREAD:

Stay at home and away from others if you are sick

Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and put used tissues in the bin

Wash and dry hands frequently, even when you start to feel better

- By RUTH HILL, CLIO FRANCIS and MICHAEL FIELD with NZPA

Information about influenza, including updates on the new virus, is available online at: www.fluinfo.org.nz.

To see a map of which countries is affectd by swine flu, click on to