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Government enters next swine flu phase
Last updated 08:21 19/06/2009
ANDREW GORRIE/ The Dominion Post
ACCIDENTAL INFECTOR: Irihapeti Morrison, with mum Ruth Tame, infected others after being tested and told she did not have swine flu.
Swine Flu
Girl infects others after false all-clear Flu could hit half Canty's population Supermarkets report rush on flu supplies Advice sought on flu pay Isolation centres planned in case pandemic strikes Southern employers plan for worst Gore High proactive over swine flu fears Witt poised to close if swine flu worsens Prepare for flu's spread Swine flu hits prison unit
<!-- -normal_story_landing- --> <!--start components/story/common_content--> LATEST: The Government will today shift from trying to contain swine flu to managing outbreaks of the virus, it has been reported.
Radio New Zealand reported that trying to contain the virus had become too much of a burden, and testing labs in particular had been overworked.
However, the approach - which RNZ reported would be formally announced later this morning - will vary between regions.
Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, which have the highest number of cases, are expected to change their approach. Regional pockets - including Northland, Otago and Southland - which have no confirmed cases will not implement the same measures.
Environment Science and Research's National Influenza Centre (NIC) head Sue Huang told Stuff.co.nz yesterday that they were "frantically busy" trying to cope with testing the rising number of samples.
Dr Huang said the Government's strategy change would mean the centre would switch focus to testing only samples from the most serious cases.
"We will focus on people with chronic illness or people who are at risk of influenza complications," she said. This approach would help identify any mutations or more virulent strains.
WELLINGTON RESTRICTIONS
Wellington's public health authorities were first cab off the rank last night, announcing they were restricting the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to severely ill patients - the first region in the country to do so - as burgeoning numbers of cases threatened to overload services.
The number of confirmed swine flu cases jumped by 26 to 153 yesterday, including 12 new cases around Wellington. Border controls and quarantines remained in force.
Wellington Regional Public Health medical officer Stephen Palmer said last night that - with 51 cases confirmed in the region, 16 in 48 hours - health services had been "over-inundated" with calls from people reporting suspected cases of the virus.
From today, only patients exhibiting serious symptoms or those with additional health issues, such as heart problems, would receive Tamiflu in Wellington.
"We have been humungously busy, under enormous pressure and over-inundated with calls. We have four or five telephone lines open and Telecom cannot provide us with any more.
"We have had to get additional GPs and, because of the pressure, have not even had time to train them properly and supervise them.
"The situation is changing rapidly, we are only going to be able to contain it to a certain extent," Dr Palmer said
During the early containment phase the health service was able to dish out Tamiflu freely, but that was now becoming impossible in terms of medical and human resources.
"Only so many tests can be done in one day. If people are unwell they should stay home, away from school and work."
PROTECTING AUSTRALIA
In Australia, where some states have already given up trying to contain the virus, the government has announced a new response phase called "protect".
School closures, border controls, testing and quarantining will cease in all states by next Friday and only the very ill will receive Tamiflu.
The New Zealand Government said community-based health services were being boosted to manage large numbers of people with flu as well as maintaining services for patients with other illnesses.
A national GP support line for flu pandemic queries is being launched today.
ROTORUA BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL
Two hundred year 11 pupils at Rotorua Boys' High School have been told to stay home for four days from today after two pupils tested positive for the virus.
Principal Chris Grinter said health authorities had ordered the partial closure after a second boy tested positive for swine flu and was put in isolation yesterday.
Some pupils were anxious to know what impact staying away from school would have on their exams. "They weren't that happy."
The mother of a three-year-old girl, who was tested for swine flu and given the all-clear, only to be told 24 hours later that she had the virus has also spoken out.
Ruth Tame, from Nelson, was visiting family in Paraparaumu when Irihapeti Morrison became ill early on Saturday - she was later given the all-clear and played with friends.
"I was pretty annoyed. We had been out and about and put my friend, who works in early childhood, her child and my sister-in-law, who works at a kohanga, at risk."
PRISON LOCKDOWN
About 50 prisoners remain in lockdown at Rimutaka Prison, where three inmates in one unit are suspected of having swine flu.
The Corrections Department said it could be a couple of days before test results were available.
A child with confirmed swine flu remained in isolation in Wellington Hospital yesterday, but staff said the symptoms were mild.
- Stuff.co.nz and The Dominion Post
Last updated 08:21 19/06/2009
ACCIDENTAL INFECTOR: Irihapeti Morrison, with mum Ruth Tame, infected others after being tested and told she did not have swine flu.
Swine Flu
Girl infects others after false all-clear Flu could hit half Canty's population Supermarkets report rush on flu supplies Advice sought on flu pay Isolation centres planned in case pandemic strikes Southern employers plan for worst Gore High proactive over swine flu fears Witt poised to close if swine flu worsens Prepare for flu's spread Swine flu hits prison unit
<!-- -normal_story_landing- --> <!--start components/story/common_content--> LATEST: The Government will today shift from trying to contain swine flu to managing outbreaks of the virus, it has been reported.
Radio New Zealand reported that trying to contain the virus had become too much of a burden, and testing labs in particular had been overworked.
However, the approach - which RNZ reported would be formally announced later this morning - will vary between regions.
Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, which have the highest number of cases, are expected to change their approach. Regional pockets - including Northland, Otago and Southland - which have no confirmed cases will not implement the same measures.
Environment Science and Research's National Influenza Centre (NIC) head Sue Huang told Stuff.co.nz yesterday that they were "frantically busy" trying to cope with testing the rising number of samples.
Dr Huang said the Government's strategy change would mean the centre would switch focus to testing only samples from the most serious cases.
"We will focus on people with chronic illness or people who are at risk of influenza complications," she said. This approach would help identify any mutations or more virulent strains.
WELLINGTON RESTRICTIONS
Wellington's public health authorities were first cab off the rank last night, announcing they were restricting the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to severely ill patients - the first region in the country to do so - as burgeoning numbers of cases threatened to overload services.
The number of confirmed swine flu cases jumped by 26 to 153 yesterday, including 12 new cases around Wellington. Border controls and quarantines remained in force.
Wellington Regional Public Health medical officer Stephen Palmer said last night that - with 51 cases confirmed in the region, 16 in 48 hours - health services had been "over-inundated" with calls from people reporting suspected cases of the virus.
From today, only patients exhibiting serious symptoms or those with additional health issues, such as heart problems, would receive Tamiflu in Wellington.
"We have been humungously busy, under enormous pressure and over-inundated with calls. We have four or five telephone lines open and Telecom cannot provide us with any more.
"We have had to get additional GPs and, because of the pressure, have not even had time to train them properly and supervise them.
"The situation is changing rapidly, we are only going to be able to contain it to a certain extent," Dr Palmer said
During the early containment phase the health service was able to dish out Tamiflu freely, but that was now becoming impossible in terms of medical and human resources.
"Only so many tests can be done in one day. If people are unwell they should stay home, away from school and work."
PROTECTING AUSTRALIA
In Australia, where some states have already given up trying to contain the virus, the government has announced a new response phase called "protect".
School closures, border controls, testing and quarantining will cease in all states by next Friday and only the very ill will receive Tamiflu.
The New Zealand Government said community-based health services were being boosted to manage large numbers of people with flu as well as maintaining services for patients with other illnesses.
A national GP support line for flu pandemic queries is being launched today.
ROTORUA BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL
Two hundred year 11 pupils at Rotorua Boys' High School have been told to stay home for four days from today after two pupils tested positive for the virus.
Principal Chris Grinter said health authorities had ordered the partial closure after a second boy tested positive for swine flu and was put in isolation yesterday.
Some pupils were anxious to know what impact staying away from school would have on their exams. "They weren't that happy."
The mother of a three-year-old girl, who was tested for swine flu and given the all-clear, only to be told 24 hours later that she had the virus has also spoken out.
Ruth Tame, from Nelson, was visiting family in Paraparaumu when Irihapeti Morrison became ill early on Saturday - she was later given the all-clear and played with friends.
"I was pretty annoyed. We had been out and about and put my friend, who works in early childhood, her child and my sister-in-law, who works at a kohanga, at risk."
PRISON LOCKDOWN
About 50 prisoners remain in lockdown at Rimutaka Prison, where three inmates in one unit are suspected of having swine flu.
The Corrections Department said it could be a couple of days before test results were available.
A child with confirmed swine flu remained in isolation in Wellington Hospital yesterday, but staff said the symptoms were mild.
- Stuff.co.nz and The Dominion Post