Swine flu: Govt steps up measures

14 probable cases

LATEST: Cabinet will this afternoon move to add swine flu to the list of diseases that can trigger sweeping anti-epidemic measures, including forced quarantine.

The Government is widening its options as tests results from Melbourne confirmed that swine flu is present in New Zealand.

Health officials are classifying 14 people, including 12 from Rangitoto College, as having the disease after three tests came back positive. More results are due today.

Papers tabled in Cabinet this afternoon will 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 of council'' had been drawn-up.

``The order in council is primarily making [swine flu] a notifiable disease,'' Mr Ryall said. ``I've discussed it with the prime minister and we are working to get it passed today.''

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 hasnt been a barrier to this point. People have been very co-operative.''

Mr Brazier said the exact definition of the flu was still being refined but was likely to be a ``flu of avian origin''.

Health Ministry deputy director general Dr Fran McGrath said a new case definition had also been introduced, which reduced the time someone was considered susceptible after visiting Mexico or North America from two weeks to one.

RESPECT FOR AFFECTED STUDENTS

Meanwhile, a health official urged for respect to be shown for the school group affected by swine flu,
Health officials said the Rangitoto group was recovering well after having returned from a trip to Mexico on Saturday morning.

They have stayed in isolation since the weekend and have been treated with Tamiflu.

Julia Peters, from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, said at a media conference today the group had been vigilant about trying to prevent further infections and in most cases their mandatory Tamiflu treatment courses finished tomorrow.

Dr Peters said they should be allowed to seamlessly return to their normal lives after that.

``There has been some comment that students have been blamed for bringing this into New Zealand. I think that would be most unfortunate,'' she said.

``They should not be blamed for that, in fact I think we should be thanking them and their families for cooperating with the advice they were given. . . ``

``When they are released from quarantine we need to accept they are not infectious.''

Dr Peters said the group needed to be able to return to school without questions being asked about whether they should be back among the community.

There were no other probable cases outside Auckland as yet but 31 people around the country had been tested for Influenza A and were suspected of possibly having the illness.

 They include 10 people in Nelson, eight in Christchurch, four in Hutt Valley, two in Taranaki, five in Waikato and another five in Auckland. At least 179 people are in isolation nationwide.

Meanwhile, two women with suspected flu symptoms were detained by health officials after arriving at Auckland Airport this morning.

An Auckland Regional Public Health Service official said the two arrived on a Qantas flight from Los Angeles early this morning.

They have been taken to Middlemore Hospital and will be tested for swine flu.

Thousands of New Zealanders may have been exposed to the deadly swine flu virus because of a three-day delay in alerting health boards to potentially infected people.

The swine flu virus has killed close to 150 people in Mexico and infected dozens in the United States, Canada and Europe. Spain's health minister has confirmed a second case of swine flu, while Israel also confirmed one case.

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.''

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.''

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.''

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.

-By ANNA CHALMERS, Stuff.co.nz and NZPA