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Ten Aussies hospitalised with swine flu
June 15, 2009 - 5:59PM
Health Minister Nicola Roxon says three of the 10 Australians hospitalised with swine flu are in intensive care.
There were 1,762 confirmed cases of swine flu in Australia at noon on Monday, which Ms Roxon said accounted for six per cent of the world's total number of diagnoses.
Of these, 1,210 were in Victoria, 191 in NSW, 116 in Queensland, 66 in Western Australia, 63 in South Australia, 53 in the ACT, 32 in Tasmania and 31 in the Northern Territory.
While a small number of people had been hospitalised after contracting the virus, Ms Roxon said they generally had other conditions making them vulnerable to complications.
"The hospitalised have generally been those people with existing conditions or complications such as morbid obesity and respiratory conditions," she told parliament.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week maximised its global swine flu alert level, saying the virus had become a pandemic.
Australia's alert level remains at contain, but Victoria, which has the bulk of cases, is in a modified, higher sustain phase.
"Australia's current approach to swine flu is consistent with the WHO's recommendations that countries should now focus on treating those who are ill, providing guidance to people to protect themselves, closely monitoring the disease and adjusting the response to local conditions," Ms Roxon said.
She said Australian health authorities were closely watching the increased spread of swine flu among people who had no known contact with other confirmed cases.
Recent data suggested the majority of cases outside Victoria could be traced back to contact with infected people.
"But this is changing and we will continue to monitor it closely over the coming days," Ms Roxon said.
Ten Aussies hospitalised with swine flu
June 15, 2009 - 5:59PM
Health Minister Nicola Roxon says three of the 10 Australians hospitalised with swine flu are in intensive care.
There were 1,762 confirmed cases of swine flu in Australia at noon on Monday, which Ms Roxon said accounted for six per cent of the world's total number of diagnoses.
Of these, 1,210 were in Victoria, 191 in NSW, 116 in Queensland, 66 in Western Australia, 63 in South Australia, 53 in the ACT, 32 in Tasmania and 31 in the Northern Territory.
While a small number of people had been hospitalised after contracting the virus, Ms Roxon said they generally had other conditions making them vulnerable to complications.
"The hospitalised have generally been those people with existing conditions or complications such as morbid obesity and respiratory conditions," she told parliament.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week maximised its global swine flu alert level, saying the virus had become a pandemic.
Australia's alert level remains at contain, but Victoria, which has the bulk of cases, is in a modified, higher sustain phase.
"Australia's current approach to swine flu is consistent with the WHO's recommendations that countries should now focus on treating those who are ill, providing guidance to people to protect themselves, closely monitoring the disease and adjusting the response to local conditions," Ms Roxon said.
She said Australian health authorities were closely watching the increased spread of swine flu among people who had no known contact with other confirmed cases.
Recent data suggested the majority of cases outside Victoria could be traced back to contact with infected people.
"But this is changing and we will continue to monitor it closely over the coming days," Ms Roxon said.