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Swine flu strategy set to change as numbers grow
NZPA June 17, 2009, 6:53 am
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The Ministry of Health is set to abandon efforts to try and contain swine flu as the virus becomes too widespread to stamp out.
The number of confirmed swine flu cases rose by 31 yesterday to reach 117 and is expected to rise further as it spreads within the community rather than coming in with overseas travellers.
Canterbury virologist Lance Jennings, a member of Government advisory panel, said a new approach was now needed as swine flu was on the cusp of community transmission and trying to contain it containment phase was no longer practical.
The current efforts took up a lot of resources and the spread of the virus had got to the point now where it had become impossible to try and contain it, he told Radio <ygg:entity ref="#WH7btmgY3RG1aCOGXWfsEA" id="t1">New Zealand</ygg:entity>.
The focus would change from trying to contain it and trying to stamp it out to controlling it in the community.
Deputy Director of Public Health Fran McGrath said containing the virus has bought many weeks of valuable extra time in which to better understand and prepare for the virus.
The virus was mild to moderate in most people and they could manage it at home without drugs, she said.
Swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), was also reported to have hit hit the children's ward at Wellington Hospital.
One child was in isolation last night after testing positive for swine flu and one room in the children's ward was put in lockdown, The Dominion Post reported.
The Capital and Coast District Health Board said the child tested positive for the H1N1 virus, and another was being treated with Tamiflu in isolation at home.
The two children shared the same room in the ward. Staff who had treated the sick child, who has mild swine flu symptoms, were also in quarantine and taking Tamiflu.
A hospital spokesman said there was no reason to suspect that any other children have come into contact with the patient.
Meanwhile, a <ygg:entity ref="#WH7btmgY3RG1aCOGXWfsEA" id="t2">New Zealand</ygg:entity> toddler has given Qatar one of its first cases of swine flu and Samoa has recorded its first case.
A number of businesses and schools in Auckland and Canterbury remained closed today after cases of swine flu were confirmed.
Christchurch seafood processing plant Seafood Products sent all of its staff home after two workers contracted swine flu, while the Royal <ygg:entity ref="#WH7btmgY3RG1aCOGXWfsEA" id="t3">New Zealand</ygg:entity> Police College in Porirua postponed new courses.
Health Minister Tony Ryall said the ministry was stepping up advertising mainly around the "helping not to spread the flu" message.
"Normally we would see about 31,000 medical admissions to hospitals a month during winter. Officials think we could end up with another 4000 or so if the swine flu peak matches the winter peak," he said.
"That is why we are working assiduously to try and prevent that from happening."
Stocks of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu were beginning to run low in some pharmacies, although the Government held enough stock of the drug to treat 30 percent of the population.
The ministry had refined its advice to arriving international travellers -- only people with flu-like symptoms within four days of travel were now considered to be at risk of swine flu.
The Ministry on Health's national pandemic planning level was at 6.2 -- the last level before code red, in which the virus is not contained and becomes widespread
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/5657502
NZPA June 17, 2009, 6:53 am
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The Ministry of Health is set to abandon efforts to try and contain swine flu as the virus becomes too widespread to stamp out.
The number of confirmed swine flu cases rose by 31 yesterday to reach 117 and is expected to rise further as it spreads within the community rather than coming in with overseas travellers.
Canterbury virologist Lance Jennings, a member of Government advisory panel, said a new approach was now needed as swine flu was on the cusp of community transmission and trying to contain it containment phase was no longer practical.
The current efforts took up a lot of resources and the spread of the virus had got to the point now where it had become impossible to try and contain it, he told Radio <ygg:entity ref="#WH7btmgY3RG1aCOGXWfsEA" id="t1">New Zealand</ygg:entity>.
The focus would change from trying to contain it and trying to stamp it out to controlling it in the community.
Deputy Director of Public Health Fran McGrath said containing the virus has bought many weeks of valuable extra time in which to better understand and prepare for the virus.
The virus was mild to moderate in most people and they could manage it at home without drugs, she said.
Swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), was also reported to have hit hit the children's ward at Wellington Hospital.
One child was in isolation last night after testing positive for swine flu and one room in the children's ward was put in lockdown, The Dominion Post reported.
The Capital and Coast District Health Board said the child tested positive for the H1N1 virus, and another was being treated with Tamiflu in isolation at home.
The two children shared the same room in the ward. Staff who had treated the sick child, who has mild swine flu symptoms, were also in quarantine and taking Tamiflu.
A hospital spokesman said there was no reason to suspect that any other children have come into contact with the patient.
Meanwhile, a <ygg:entity ref="#WH7btmgY3RG1aCOGXWfsEA" id="t2">New Zealand</ygg:entity> toddler has given Qatar one of its first cases of swine flu and Samoa has recorded its first case.
A number of businesses and schools in Auckland and Canterbury remained closed today after cases of swine flu were confirmed.
Christchurch seafood processing plant Seafood Products sent all of its staff home after two workers contracted swine flu, while the Royal <ygg:entity ref="#WH7btmgY3RG1aCOGXWfsEA" id="t3">New Zealand</ygg:entity> Police College in Porirua postponed new courses.
Health Minister Tony Ryall said the ministry was stepping up advertising mainly around the "helping not to spread the flu" message.
"Normally we would see about 31,000 medical admissions to hospitals a month during winter. Officials think we could end up with another 4000 or so if the swine flu peak matches the winter peak," he said.
"That is why we are working assiduously to try and prevent that from happening."
Stocks of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu were beginning to run low in some pharmacies, although the Government held enough stock of the drug to treat 30 percent of the population.
The ministry had refined its advice to arriving international travellers -- only people with flu-like symptoms within four days of travel were now considered to be at risk of swine flu.
The Ministry on Health's national pandemic planning level was at 6.2 -- the last level before code red, in which the virus is not contained and becomes widespread
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/5657502