Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/08/2592500.htm
Swine flu impact will be 'greater in Indigenous regions'
Posted 4 hours 36 minutes ago
Updated 3 hours 22 minutes ago
The Darwin-based Menzies School of Health Research says high rates of chronic disease in remote communities will make people more vulnerable to swine flu.
Menzies director Jonathan Carapetis says the recent confirmation of swine flu on the Tiwi Islands is a concern.
"We'd want to be watching carefully the people who are exposed and who develop the disease to make sure they get the anti-viral treatment early," he said.
Tiwi Islander Crystal Johnson tested positive to the virus and says she is concerned health authorities have not done enough to inform other residents about the threat.
Professor Carapetis says the impact of H1N1 will be greater in Indigenous communities than it has been in Australia's major centres.
"The cases that have developed more severe disease are the sort of people who have underlying problems like diabetes and other chronic diseases," he said.
"So I guess you would want to be a bit more careful about this disease appearing in remote Aboriginal communities, given the high rates of those other chronic diseases."
But Professor Carapetis is confident in the department's approach.
"At some stage yes, somebody is likely to suffer a death from it but we shouldn't be panicking," he said.
He says a fatality from swine flu becomes more likely as more people contract the disease, but says the severity and mortality from H1N1 is lower than the normal flu.
Swine flu impact will be 'greater in Indigenous regions'
Posted 4 hours 36 minutes ago
Updated 3 hours 22 minutes ago
The Darwin-based Menzies School of Health Research says high rates of chronic disease in remote communities will make people more vulnerable to swine flu.
Menzies director Jonathan Carapetis says the recent confirmation of swine flu on the Tiwi Islands is a concern.
"We'd want to be watching carefully the people who are exposed and who develop the disease to make sure they get the anti-viral treatment early," he said.
Tiwi Islander Crystal Johnson tested positive to the virus and says she is concerned health authorities have not done enough to inform other residents about the threat.
Professor Carapetis says the impact of H1N1 will be greater in Indigenous communities than it has been in Australia's major centres.
"The cases that have developed more severe disease are the sort of people who have underlying problems like diabetes and other chronic diseases," he said.
"So I guess you would want to be a bit more careful about this disease appearing in remote Aboriginal communities, given the high rates of those other chronic diseases."
But Professor Carapetis is confident in the department's approach.
"At some stage yes, somebody is likely to suffer a death from it but we shouldn't be panicking," he said.
He says a fatality from swine flu becomes more likely as more people contract the disease, but says the severity and mortality from H1N1 is lower than the normal flu.
