swine flu

Canterbury District Health Board’s Community and Public Health division has now been in contact with 42 people in Canterbury who were on the same flight as the Auckland students suspected of having swine flu.

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board is well prepared for a pandemic and has been working to its Pandemic Plan since Monday.

Wairarapa DHB is monitoring the national and international information regarding the human swine influenza outbreak.

The World Health Organisation has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from four to five.

The NZMA has offered its support to the Ministry of Health in dealing with the potential outbreak of swine influenza (H1N1) outbreak.

Director of Public Health, Dr Mark Jacobs announced tonight that results from some of the Rangitoto College party who tested positive to Influenza A on Sunday, have also tested positive for Swine Flu H1N1.

While three people in the North Island have tested positive for Swine Flu H1N1, so far none of the people from Southland or Otago who were on the affected flight NZ1 have any symptoms.

Results from the 4th H1N1 test

The Ministry of Health wants to stress that all passengers who have returned from North America and Mexico in the last two weeks who have flu-like symptoms should contact their GP or other heath professional. This key message is not limited to passengers who travelled on Air New Zealand flights NZ1 or NZ5.

Waikato District Health Board has two possible cases of influenza A (H1N1) or swine flu.

Test results for two Waikato residents have come back negative for influenza A swine flu.

There are still no known cases of swine flu in the Bay of Plenty or Lakes district and while the initial nine people quarantined will be returning to normal life today (Friday), a further five people have been quarantined and given Tamiflu as a precaution.