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Swine flu has arrived in South Canterbury, with four cases confirmed yesterday.
Medical officer of health Daniel Williams said yesterday that four people had returned positive tests for the virus.
"A group from the Opihi Services Academy in Temuka attended a training camp last week and came into contact with people from outside the district who carried the H1N1 virus.
"Nine members of the group developed flu symptoms after returning to South Canterbury and isolated themselves at home. Four people from the group and two family contacts were tested for swine flu.
Four of those tests came back positive today, with another three results pending.
"This is not limited to one geographical area and it is likely we will see further cases around the district related to this cluster."
Dr Williams said hand hygiene was still the single most effective measure in protecting yourself from flu by washing hands with soap and water and drying them thoroughly.
South Canterbury District Health Board incident controller Christine Nolan said the response to the virus had shifted from trying to contain it to managing the inevitable spread with tests for the virus no longer required.
"We are now in the `manage it' phase and will no longer be testing individual cases.
"There is a cluster out in a rural community and we are now certain of community transmission."
The change to management will mean some operational changes for health services in South Canterbury. The emphasis will now move away from testing people into reducing the spread of the virus and supporting those who get sick.
It will be up to businesses and schools to individually decide if they should close if one of their members gets sick.
Tamiflu will not be routinely given to people with swine flu and their contacts, but will be used for people who are very unwell or at risk of complications. GPs and pharmacists in South Canterbury now have access to supplies of Tamiflu from the national stockpile.
"Tamiflu will be given out according to clinical guidelines such as if the person is pregnant and how serious they are."
The key focus for managing the virus would be an 0800 "flu-line" number to be set up by the health board next week for the public.
The next port of call was likely to be an assessment centre where serious cases would be given Tamiflu and possibly sent to the hospital.
Most people are expected to experience a mild to moderate illness and can recover at home without needing medical care.
"The flu line will be critical in our front-end management.
West End Hall has been tentatively booked as an assessment centre for the next month to deal with the pandemic.
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"Those who present with serious complications will be referred to the hospital."
The hospital will operate business as usual, but an increase in medical patients because of the virus is expected to have some impact on elective services.
Sampling of sick people will still be done for monitoring purposes and be reported in the GP flu surveillance system which already happens each winter.
The West End Hall swine flu assessment centre can open at a day's notice, which will be determined by the number of sick people in the community and how health services are coping. The opening date was being reviewed daily.
Those with the flu who need medical treatment can phone their doctor or the Healthline on 080061111.
SWINE GUIDELINE
SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS:
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also report diarrhoea and vomiting.
PROTECTING YOURSELF:
Hand hygiene is still the single-most effective measure. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly.
Alcohol-based cleaners are also effective.
IF YOU BECOME SICK:
If you live in areas where people have been identified with swine flu and you develop the symptoms, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people until all your symptoms are gone. Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. If you have severe illness or are at high risk for flu complications, contact a health care provider or seek medical care.
ISOLATION:
Make sure you have enough food and supplies to stay at home for up to seven days including extra supplies of paracetamol or ibuprofen for all the family to help relieve aches, pains and high temperatures; tissues and plastic bags for used tissues; cough syrups and throat lozenges for each person.
EMERGENCY WARNING SIGNS:
Signs you need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing.
Severe or persistent vomiting.
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough.
Specific to children:
Bluish or grey skin colour.
Not drinking enough fluids.
Not waking up or not interacting.
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held.
Specific to adults:
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen.
Sudden dizziness.
Confusion
Medical officer of health Daniel Williams said yesterday that four people had returned positive tests for the virus.
"A group from the Opihi Services Academy in Temuka attended a training camp last week and came into contact with people from outside the district who carried the H1N1 virus.
"Nine members of the group developed flu symptoms after returning to South Canterbury and isolated themselves at home. Four people from the group and two family contacts were tested for swine flu.
Four of those tests came back positive today, with another three results pending.
"This is not limited to one geographical area and it is likely we will see further cases around the district related to this cluster."
Dr Williams said hand hygiene was still the single most effective measure in protecting yourself from flu by washing hands with soap and water and drying them thoroughly.
South Canterbury District Health Board incident controller Christine Nolan said the response to the virus had shifted from trying to contain it to managing the inevitable spread with tests for the virus no longer required.
"We are now in the `manage it' phase and will no longer be testing individual cases.
"There is a cluster out in a rural community and we are now certain of community transmission."
The change to management will mean some operational changes for health services in South Canterbury. The emphasis will now move away from testing people into reducing the spread of the virus and supporting those who get sick.
It will be up to businesses and schools to individually decide if they should close if one of their members gets sick.
Tamiflu will not be routinely given to people with swine flu and their contacts, but will be used for people who are very unwell or at risk of complications. GPs and pharmacists in South Canterbury now have access to supplies of Tamiflu from the national stockpile.
"Tamiflu will be given out according to clinical guidelines such as if the person is pregnant and how serious they are."
The key focus for managing the virus would be an 0800 "flu-line" number to be set up by the health board next week for the public.
The next port of call was likely to be an assessment centre where serious cases would be given Tamiflu and possibly sent to the hospital.
Most people are expected to experience a mild to moderate illness and can recover at home without needing medical care.
"The flu line will be critical in our front-end management.
West End Hall has been tentatively booked as an assessment centre for the next month to deal with the pandemic.
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"Those who present with serious complications will be referred to the hospital."
The hospital will operate business as usual, but an increase in medical patients because of the virus is expected to have some impact on elective services.
Sampling of sick people will still be done for monitoring purposes and be reported in the GP flu surveillance system which already happens each winter.
The West End Hall swine flu assessment centre can open at a day's notice, which will be determined by the number of sick people in the community and how health services are coping. The opening date was being reviewed daily.
Those with the flu who need medical treatment can phone their doctor or the Healthline on 080061111.
SWINE GUIDELINE
SWINE FLU SYMPTOMS:
The symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also report diarrhoea and vomiting.
PROTECTING YOURSELF:
Hand hygiene is still the single-most effective measure. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly.
Alcohol-based cleaners are also effective.
IF YOU BECOME SICK:
If you live in areas where people have been identified with swine flu and you develop the symptoms, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people until all your symptoms are gone. Staying at home means that you should not leave your home except to seek medical care. If you have severe illness or are at high risk for flu complications, contact a health care provider or seek medical care.
ISOLATION:
Make sure you have enough food and supplies to stay at home for up to seven days including extra supplies of paracetamol or ibuprofen for all the family to help relieve aches, pains and high temperatures; tissues and plastic bags for used tissues; cough syrups and throat lozenges for each person.
EMERGENCY WARNING SIGNS:
Signs you need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing.
Severe or persistent vomiting.
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and a worse cough.
Specific to children:
Bluish or grey skin colour.
Not drinking enough fluids.
Not waking up or not interacting.
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held.
Specific to adults:
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen.
Sudden dizziness.
Confusion
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