NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

[Sally Furniss]

Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Updated at 7:29am on 23 July 2009

The chief coroner's office is investigating the deaths of 14 people who were confirmed as having swine flu.

The Ministry of Health records show 11 deaths where swine flu was a factor, but chief coroner Neil MacLean's office has confirmed more cases have been reported in recent days.

The latest confirmed case was a 39-year-old Auckland man who died on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Health reports 2,477 confirmed cases of swine flu in New Zealand, although the actual number is higher as only a small proportion of people with symptoms are being tested.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/07/23/1245bc697b55

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

So we can take that to mean there's been 25 deaths in NZ?

That's how it reads to me anway.

[wotan]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

So we can take that to mean there's been 25 deaths in NZ?

That's how it reads to me anway.

I read the same thing but I'm not entirely clear on it.

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

I cant help but get the very strong impression they are trying to hide the numbers from us and generally cause confusion...

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

I read it as there are 11 confirmed deaths but depending on investigations there may be an additional 3 deaths taking the number to 14.

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated
The chief coroner's office is investigating the deaths of 14 people who were confirmed as having swine flu.

But why re-investigate cases which have already been confirmed?

The wording is designed to confuse...

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Depends on the use of ´investigation¨ Are confirmed cases still being investigated? Are lower probability cases (they had flu but probably died of something else) being investigated?

NZ annual seasonal flu deaths are about 400.

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Hopefully MOH will clarify this soon.

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Depends on the use of ?investigation? Are confirmed cases still being investigated? Are lower probability cases (they had flu but probably died of something else) being investigated?

Nar - those 11 in the media are confirmed, sealed and done. Hence their been in the media as such. I suspect this other 14 cases is a new bunch - and in all honesty would place our toll nearer to the area I would have expected by now. The number 11 has remained static for too long now.

NZ annual seasonal flu deaths are about 400.

Yep. If you do just quick maths you will arrive at a number of around 5-7,000 deaths within H1N1 in NZ by the time this first wave is over. Sadly however - the numbers used in any maths are pure speculation now given the secrecy surrounding the data and the incredibly poor data collection processes in place.

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated
Updated

The chief coroner's office is investigating the deaths of 14 people who were confirmed as having swine flu.

The latest fatalities have been in two Auckland men, aged 28 and 39, and a 30-year-old Auckland woman.

Chief Coroner Neil MacLean MacLean says he is awaiting full post mortem results which will show what part swine flu played in the 14 confirmed deaths, as those people appear to have had other health problems.

The Ministry of Health reports 2,477 confirmed cases of swine flu in New Zealand, although the actual number is higher as only a small proportion of people with symptoms are being tested.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/07/23/1245bc697b55

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Still lots of confusion around this....

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

NZ swine flu deaths rise to 14; 11 more suspected

AP) ? WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealand's chief coroner says three people have died of swine flu in the past few days, raising the country's toll to 14.

Neil MacLean says a further 11 deaths are being investigated for links to the virus.

He says the latest patients to die-men aged 39 and 28 and a woman aged 30-appeared to have underlying health problems.

MacLean told National Radio on Thursday that most of the deaths occurred when patients had aggravating conditions, "either obesity or some other factor that lowers their resistance to disease."

The Ministry of Health has reported 2,477 confirmed cases of swine flu in New Zealand, although the actual number is higher because only a small proportion of people with symptoms are being tested.

http://www.silive.com/newsflash/international/index.ssf?/base/international-9/1248321699303930.xml&storylist=international

[DazzaMc]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

14 nzers with swine flu die

Fourteen people confirmed as having swine flu have died in New Zealand.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said the official death rate from swine flu was 11.

But the office of chief coroner Neil MacLean said he was investigating the deaths of a further three people who had the virus.

A 30-year-old woman died in hospital on July 19, and a 28-year-old man died in the community on July 13. The third death was a 39-year-old man. All were from Auckland.

All 14 people had other health problems, a spokeswoman from Mr MacLean's office said.

As of yesterday there were 2477 confirmed swine flu cases in New Zealand.

However, the Ministry of Health said the actual number of cases would be significantly higher, as only a small proportion of people with symptoms were being tested.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/5745874/14-nzers-with-swine-flu-die/

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

MOH statement

There have now been 11 deaths in New Zealand linked to the pandemic.

All who have died had underlying health conditions.

Seventy-one people are currently in hospital after contracting the virus, with 24 of those in intensive care.

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/influenza-a-h1n1-update-114-230709

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - Fourteen swine flu deaths being investigated

Swine flu deaths confirmed as drug company profits
Updated 17:15

Published: 4:57PM Thursday July 23, 2009

Source: NEWSTALKZB/Reuters

Swine flu deaths confirmed as drug company profits (Source: Reuters)

ReutersThe H1N1 flu virus (red) bears a disturbing resemblance to the virus strain that caused the 1918 flu pandemic

Three more people who were confirmed to have swine flu, have died.

The Chief Coroner has been passed the files of two unnamed Auckland men and an unnamed Auckland woman.

All three are aged between 28 and 39 years and all had underlaying medical problems.

So far 11 deaths have been officially linked to the virus.

Chief Coroner Neil MacLean says at the moment they have 14 files open, but that number is always changing as test results come through and new files are passed their way.

However, He says there appears to be fewer swine flu related cases heading their way.

Swin flu a "bonus" for GlaxoSmithKIine


The pandemic of H1N1 swine flu was described as a bonus for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), which makes an inhaled flu drug, a vaccine and special antiviral masks.

The world's second-biggest drug maker said orders for a vaccine against H1N1 helped drive up second-quarter earnings with more to come.

The company also said it was boosting production of its inhaled influenza drug Relenza, known generically as Zanamivir, as the pandemic has worsened.

"As a result, GSK now expects to increase its annual production capacity of Relenza to 190 million treatment courses by the end of 2009. This represents a threefold increase to GSK's previous maximum capacity of 60 million treatment courses," the company said in a statement.

Relenza is one of two drugs approved for use against H1N1. Some samples of the virus have begun to show signs of resistance to Tamiflu, the pill made by Roche AG under license from Gilead Sciences Inc. and some governments are ordering more Relenza just in case this trend worsens.

"GSK has contracts in place to supply Relenza to over 60 governments. GSK has also allocated 10% of its new Relenza production capacity for developing countries" the company said, including 2 million doses of Relenza to the World Health Organization.

The company also hopes to profit from its disposable respirator, a specially fitted type of mask, which has an antiviral coating. "Actiprotect has been approved for use in Europe and certain international markets and last month was approved for occupational use in the United States by the FDA," the company said.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/swine-flu-deaths-confirmed-drug-company-profits-2866538