Swine-flu cases rise as two test positive

DON SCOTT/The Press

STAYING SAFE: Andrew Male, left, and Jeff Telfer cover up at work at Christchurch consultancy firm MWH as New Zealand's confirmed swine-flu cases rise to six.

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New Zealand now has six confirmed swine flu cases, with pupils from Auckland and Hawke's Bay the latest to test positive for the virus.

An Auckland pupil, who was on the same flight from the United States as a group from Rangitoto College, had been treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu and was now out of isolation, the Ministry of Health said.

The original four confirmed cases were from the Rangitoto College party which had been to Mexico before returning home on April 25 on a flight via Los Angeles.

One of the new confirmed cases was a student from Hawke's Bay who returned to New Zealand on April 28 from North America on a Lindisfarne College school trip.

Two Nelson-based passengers on the same flight, NZ7, went into voluntary quarantine over the weekend after coming into contact with that passenger. The pair were identified by Nelson-Marlborough Public Health staff on Sunday, district medical officer of health Dr Jill Sherwood said.

None of the 32 suspected swine-flu cases in the Nelson-Marlborough region last week had tested positive for the flu.

Meanwhile, eight people were in voluntary quarantine in Otago and Southland after being referred to health officials over the weekend. They all flew on flight NZ1 from Los Angeles to Auckland last Wednesday. It was feared they were in contact with a fellow passenger suspected of having Influenza A (H1N1).

Duty medical officer of health Dr Marion Poore said the eight had been referred to Public Health South over the weekend, although none was showing flu-like symptoms. Their quarantine period expires today.

No-one in Canterbury had tested positive for the virus, although seven people were in quarantine, health officials said yesterday.

Both of the latest confirmed New Zealand cases were previously classed as probable cases, and samples were sent to Melbourne for testing, deputy director of public health Fran McGrath said.

The Auckland pupil was now well, but the Hawke's Bay pupil was still under observation. "The confirmed case remains in isolation at home and is being treated with Tamiflu, as is the rest of the family. Other close contacts have also been treated and followed up," McGrath said.

As of yesterday, there were 69 suspected cases in New Zealand, down 20 from Sunday's total, and 335 people in isolation who were being treated with Tamiflu, down by 25 since Sunday.

Worldwide, 18 countries had reported 900 cases of swine flu.

- © Fairfax NZ News