First swine flu case
Saturday 4: The country?s first case of Influenza A (H1N1) was confirmed by the ministry of health yesterday.
A 14-year-old Cook Islands boy who has been living in New Zealand for the past three months was confirmed on Thursday as having the new pandemic flu.
He arrived unaccompanied in Rarotonga last Saturday to stay with family, and had already been sick for three days before boarding the Air New Zealand flight.
The boy, who came from Rotorua, was picked up by the health staff at the airport on his arrival.
He was quarantined and treated with Tamiflu at Rarotonga Hospital for about four days before being discharged to home quarantine with regular monitoring of his condition and his family members.
?Contact tracing of passengers seated two rows ahead and behind (on the aircraft) the case was completed and information provided on infection control measures, and what to do should they develop symptoms,? said the ministry.
The ministry yesterday issued a public notice announcing the first case and encouraging people who have flu like symptoms to visit the Blackrock flu clinic.
Taking precautions is the best way to prevent swine flu from spreading.
Social distancing, proper hand washing, and coughing and sneeze etiquette are still being promoted by the ministry.
Late last month the ministry confirmed that a nine-year-old Cook Islands boy who had caught swine flu was treated in New Zealand before being cleared for travel back to Rarotonga. He was also home quarantined and monitored in Rarotonga.
The ministry is still sending samples to New Zealand for testing to help identify any further cases here. - HG
Saturday 4: The country?s first case of Influenza A (H1N1) was confirmed by the ministry of health yesterday.
A 14-year-old Cook Islands boy who has been living in New Zealand for the past three months was confirmed on Thursday as having the new pandemic flu.
He arrived unaccompanied in Rarotonga last Saturday to stay with family, and had already been sick for three days before boarding the Air New Zealand flight.
The boy, who came from Rotorua, was picked up by the health staff at the airport on his arrival.
He was quarantined and treated with Tamiflu at Rarotonga Hospital for about four days before being discharged to home quarantine with regular monitoring of his condition and his family members.
?Contact tracing of passengers seated two rows ahead and behind (on the aircraft) the case was completed and information provided on infection control measures, and what to do should they develop symptoms,? said the ministry.
The ministry yesterday issued a public notice announcing the first case and encouraging people who have flu like symptoms to visit the Blackrock flu clinic.
Taking precautions is the best way to prevent swine flu from spreading.
Social distancing, proper hand washing, and coughing and sneeze etiquette are still being promoted by the ministry.
Late last month the ministry confirmed that a nine-year-old Cook Islands boy who had caught swine flu was treated in New Zealand before being cleared for travel back to Rarotonga. He was also home quarantined and monitored in Rarotonga.
The ministry is still sending samples to New Zealand for testing to help identify any further cases here. - HG
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