Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Govt forced to act on Pacific Dawn docking
Paul Lucas declared a public health emergency shortly before the Pacific Dawn arrived in Brisbane.
Paul Lucas declared a public health emergency shortly before the Pacific Dawn arrived in Brisbane. (ABC: Jonathon Hall )
The Queensland Government says it was forced to act to ensure the operator of Brisbane's cruise ship terminal would allow the Pacific Dawn to dock after three crew members tested positive for swine flu.
Health Minister Paul Lucas declared a public health emergency shortly before the Pacific Dawn arrived in Brisbane.
The declaration gave the Government special powers to force Multiplex, which operates the Portside Wharf at Hamilton, to comply with a direction to allow the ship to dock.
Mr Lucas says the situation is regrettable.
"It is a significant step to take and I would rather not have done it," he said.
"But it was necessary to ensure the cooperation of the port operators here.
"We're not going to have people sitting out in the middle of Moreton Bay on a ship.
"They have every right to come into a cruise ship terminal with top class medical and social support, which is the right thing to do."
P&O's Ann Sherry says her company was unable to influence Multiplex.
"The operators of the port are a private company and did not want us to bring the ship in," she said.
The ABC has been unable to contact Multiplex for comment.
No-one leaving the ship in Brisbane needed to be swabbed but they have all been asked to stay in voluntary isolation for a week.
The P&O ship is now on its way back to Sydney, with 25 nurses and doctors from New South Wales Health on board to screen every passenger.
School closures
Meanwhile, students from two Cairns high schools in far north Queensland will be forced to stay home next week because a teenager at one of the schools has contracted swine flu.
A 13-year-old girl from St Monica's College has tested positive for the virus.
Queensland Health says she might have caught it from an overseas visitor.
Mr Lucas says St Monica's and St Mary's Catholic colleges will be shut for seven days.
"We are now in the containment phase and I have made it clear to you that we will not be able to stop the spread of swine influenza," he said.
"But the more that we can reduce it, slow it, as people work on a vaccines the more important that's the job that we need to do."
Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says health officers will speak to people who have been in contact with the girl.
"The child had not been overseas but there is some thought that they'd come into contact with an overseas visitor," she said.
"As we all know Cairns is one of our major tourist destinations in this state so I think that is highly likely, but we're working that though and confirming it."
Bill Sultmann from Catholic Education says the schools could open earlier than predicted if authorities approve it.
He says the precautions are necessary.
"On Monday there will be opportunities for clinical screening should parents have concerns about their children," he said.
"We think that's a very good move, a preventative move, but we are concerned that people would be naturally worried."
"We're really conscious of the dislocation this is going to cause."
Mr Sultmann says parents will be contacted.
"Some minimal staff will be there on Monday in the event that some families don't get the message," he said.
One St Monica's mother, Carmel, says she wants more information from authorities, but that she agrees with the closures.
"Do we quarantine siblings or ourselves as well as students that are affected?" she said.
"We're all pretty happy that precautions are being take to prevent further spread."
'Don't panic'
Cairns Mayor Val Schier says the council is prepared for a possible swine flu outbreak and urges residents not to panic.
"We've been watching it now for weeks and weeks in various countries and what's happening there's been a lot of time to think about it, a lot of time to prepare," she said.
"There's been public education about keeping a lookout for symptoms and what to do if people do have symptoms, it's very important that people don't panic."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/31/2585521.htm
Paul Lucas declared a public health emergency shortly before the Pacific Dawn arrived in Brisbane.
Paul Lucas declared a public health emergency shortly before the Pacific Dawn arrived in Brisbane. (ABC: Jonathon Hall )
The Queensland Government says it was forced to act to ensure the operator of Brisbane's cruise ship terminal would allow the Pacific Dawn to dock after three crew members tested positive for swine flu.
Health Minister Paul Lucas declared a public health emergency shortly before the Pacific Dawn arrived in Brisbane.
The declaration gave the Government special powers to force Multiplex, which operates the Portside Wharf at Hamilton, to comply with a direction to allow the ship to dock.
Mr Lucas says the situation is regrettable.
"It is a significant step to take and I would rather not have done it," he said.
"But it was necessary to ensure the cooperation of the port operators here.
"We're not going to have people sitting out in the middle of Moreton Bay on a ship.
"They have every right to come into a cruise ship terminal with top class medical and social support, which is the right thing to do."
P&O's Ann Sherry says her company was unable to influence Multiplex.
"The operators of the port are a private company and did not want us to bring the ship in," she said.
The ABC has been unable to contact Multiplex for comment.
No-one leaving the ship in Brisbane needed to be swabbed but they have all been asked to stay in voluntary isolation for a week.
The P&O ship is now on its way back to Sydney, with 25 nurses and doctors from New South Wales Health on board to screen every passenger.
School closures
Meanwhile, students from two Cairns high schools in far north Queensland will be forced to stay home next week because a teenager at one of the schools has contracted swine flu.
A 13-year-old girl from St Monica's College has tested positive for the virus.
Queensland Health says she might have caught it from an overseas visitor.
Mr Lucas says St Monica's and St Mary's Catholic colleges will be shut for seven days.
"We are now in the containment phase and I have made it clear to you that we will not be able to stop the spread of swine influenza," he said.
"But the more that we can reduce it, slow it, as people work on a vaccines the more important that's the job that we need to do."
Queensland's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young says health officers will speak to people who have been in contact with the girl.
"The child had not been overseas but there is some thought that they'd come into contact with an overseas visitor," she said.
"As we all know Cairns is one of our major tourist destinations in this state so I think that is highly likely, but we're working that though and confirming it."
Bill Sultmann from Catholic Education says the schools could open earlier than predicted if authorities approve it.
He says the precautions are necessary.
"On Monday there will be opportunities for clinical screening should parents have concerns about their children," he said.
"We think that's a very good move, a preventative move, but we are concerned that people would be naturally worried."
"We're really conscious of the dislocation this is going to cause."
Mr Sultmann says parents will be contacted.
"Some minimal staff will be there on Monday in the event that some families don't get the message," he said.
One St Monica's mother, Carmel, says she wants more information from authorities, but that she agrees with the closures.
"Do we quarantine siblings or ourselves as well as students that are affected?" she said.
"We're all pretty happy that precautions are being take to prevent further spread."
'Don't panic'
Cairns Mayor Val Schier says the council is prepared for a possible swine flu outbreak and urges residents not to panic.
"We've been watching it now for weeks and weeks in various countries and what's happening there's been a lot of time to think about it, a lot of time to prepare," she said.
"There's been public education about keeping a lookout for symptoms and what to do if people do have symptoms, it's very important that people don't panic."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/31/2585521.htm