Re: Australia: 502 confirmed cases
Re: Australia: 502 confirmed cases
<headline>Australia's swine flu tally rises to 634</headline>
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Katie Bradford
<cite>June 3, 2009 - 7:29PM</cite>
Victoria has been blacklisted as the country's swine-flu capital, with children returning home to other states to be quarantined for seven days.
There are now 521 cases of swine flu in Victoria, an increase of 126 overnight.
NSW has 70, Queensland's swine flu tally has risen to 26, Tasmania has two cases, South Australia eight, ACT four, Western Australia two and the Northern Territory one.
Around the rest of Australia, Victoria now sits in the same category as countries such as Mexico, Panama and Japan.
NSW, Queensland and South Australia all announced the move on Wednesday, with Queensland authorities saying Victoria's status warranted further containment measures.
The announcement will affect hundreds of Queensland and NSW families who have flown to Melbourne for the State of Origin rugby league match on Wednesday night.
On Wednesday, Victoria changed its pandemic status from contain to a modified sustain level.
Tasmanian health officials will require anyone arriving from Victoria with flu-like symptoms to notify health authorities and commit themselves to days of isolation waiting for test results.
Asked about Tasmania's decision, Victorian Health Minister Daniel Andrews said it was "unworkable and impractical".
"Different states are at different points," he told reporters.
"While these measures may have in theory some public health benefit, they'll soon become unworkable and impractical for a whole range of reasons."
He refused to criticise the Tasmanian government.
"I'm not here to comment on what Tasmania has or hasn't done, in my judgement while there may be some theoretical benefit it won't take long before these measures are impractical."
The new pandemic level means there will be no more school closures or mass quarantines and resources will instead be targeted into areas of high risk.
Mr Andrews said the response was "proportionate" because analysis revealed the symptoms of the H1N1 virus are "entirely consistent" with the ordinary seasonal flu.
He said the sustained phase had been modified because the original pandemic plan was based on a much higher mortality rate.
Resources would now be put towards aged care facilities, hospitals and special needs schools.
Anti-virals will now only be handed out as a preventative measure to those in close household contact with diagnosed swine flu sufferers.
Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester said the new phase was "much less restrictive".
"Victorians have seen a very mild nature of this illness and we're very grateful for that," Dr Lester told reporters.
She refused to say whether it was an increase or decrease in alert level.
"I don't think it's appropriate to say raising or lowering, it's a different response in keeping with the plan and in keeping with situations overseas."
The USA and Canada have moved to a modified sustain stage.
Only six Victorians had been hospitalised, and all had recovered well, Dr Lester said.
But it is unlikely the worst is now over.
"We are moving into influenza season and we really can't predict at this stage how widespread the influenza season, whether it's H1N1 or others, will be."
Other states and territories would remain in the contain phase but federal health minister Nicola Roxon said she expected that to change.
"We do expect that over the coming days and weeks other jurisdictions will also see this disease gradually spread throughout their communities and will ultimately need to move to this phase," she told reporters.
http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/br...ine-flu-tally-rises-to-634-20090603-bup9.html
