Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Authorities justify flu response
Published: 6:27PM Tuesday May 05, 2009
Source: ONE News/Newstalk ZB
New Zealand authorities response to the possibility of a H1N1 Influenza pandemic is under question.
Ten days after the first cases came to light in New Zealand there are just six confirmed and 15 probable cases.
With 92 people who could have the illness and 309 people are in quarantine, the numbers are far fewer than first feared.
While the headlines screamed overkill, the authorities are justifying their response.
"Given that we didn't know what the pattern was going to be and given the reporting that we were having from Mexico about numbers of cases and deaths, then the response has seemed appropriate," says Dr Fran McGrath, Deputy Director of Public Health.
Ten days ago the Ministry of Health learnt flight NZ1 had arrived with passengers who had been in Mexico and had flu like symptoms. At the same time the World Health Organisation was warning Mexico was now the epicentre of a flu outbreak.
There were so many unknowns, so caution was essential and as a result people were quarantined.
Most recently a group of six passengers who arrived on flight QF26 from Los Angeles on Tuesday morning are suspected of having H1N1 Influenza.
They and their 16 close contacts are being treated in isolation in Auckland.
By Thursday evening, passengers on all international flights arriving in New Zealand will be asked to fill in passenger locator forms.
The forms are used by public health staff to trace contacts if required.
"Swine based influenza's are particularly unstable," says McGrath.
The ministry launched its pandemic plan in an attempt to contain the virus.
So far the flu has passed from person to person relatively easily and the symptoms tend to be only mild to moderate, but it could have been highly infectious and even deadly which was the scenario New Zealand's public health authorities were prepared for.
"Over-reaction is always very good, because you can always clam down afterwards but it's very hard to retrieve a situation that slips through your fingers," says Steve Brazier, National Emergency Management Coordinator.
The ministries priority was to contain the outbreak in New Zealand but also high on the list was getting information to the public.
"I think the media reporting was pretty well spot on," says Brazier.
H1N1 Influenza is now contained in New Zealand but the health authorities haven't relaxed as there's still a very real possibility the same virus could mutate into a more virulent form.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/authorities-justify-flu-response-2706338
Published: 6:27PM Tuesday May 05, 2009
Source: ONE News/Newstalk ZB
- WATCH the video (2:03)
New Zealand authorities response to the possibility of a H1N1 Influenza pandemic is under question.
Ten days after the first cases came to light in New Zealand there are just six confirmed and 15 probable cases.
With 92 people who could have the illness and 309 people are in quarantine, the numbers are far fewer than first feared.
While the headlines screamed overkill, the authorities are justifying their response.
"Given that we didn't know what the pattern was going to be and given the reporting that we were having from Mexico about numbers of cases and deaths, then the response has seemed appropriate," says Dr Fran McGrath, Deputy Director of Public Health.
Ten days ago the Ministry of Health learnt flight NZ1 had arrived with passengers who had been in Mexico and had flu like symptoms. At the same time the World Health Organisation was warning Mexico was now the epicentre of a flu outbreak.
There were so many unknowns, so caution was essential and as a result people were quarantined.
Most recently a group of six passengers who arrived on flight QF26 from Los Angeles on Tuesday morning are suspected of having H1N1 Influenza.
They and their 16 close contacts are being treated in isolation in Auckland.
By Thursday evening, passengers on all international flights arriving in New Zealand will be asked to fill in passenger locator forms.
The forms are used by public health staff to trace contacts if required.
"Swine based influenza's are particularly unstable," says McGrath.
The ministry launched its pandemic plan in an attempt to contain the virus.
So far the flu has passed from person to person relatively easily and the symptoms tend to be only mild to moderate, but it could have been highly infectious and even deadly which was the scenario New Zealand's public health authorities were prepared for.
"Over-reaction is always very good, because you can always clam down afterwards but it's very hard to retrieve a situation that slips through your fingers," says Steve Brazier, National Emergency Management Coordinator.
The ministries priority was to contain the outbreak in New Zealand but also high on the list was getting information to the public.
"I think the media reporting was pretty well spot on," says Brazier.
H1N1 Influenza is now contained in New Zealand but the health authorities haven't relaxed as there's still a very real possibility the same virus could mutate into a more virulent form.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/authorities-justify-flu-response-2706338