Pandemic fears rise
DAVID KILLICK
April 30, 2009 08:18am
FIVE of the six people suspected of having swine flu in Tasmania have been given the all-clear on the deadly virus.
A 50-year-old woman in the South who returned from the US on Tuesday remains the state's only suspected case, health authorities said.
Three people came forward with symptoms yesterday, but two were cleared by influenza A screening, as were the three earlier cases.
Public Health director Chrissie Pickin said despite the laboratory test results, the message to the public remained the same.
"If you have been in Mexico, the United States or Canada in the last seven days, or been in contact with someone who has swine flu, and you develop signs of flu -- particularly fever, cough, fatigue and sore throat -- please telephone 1800 FLU DOC [1800 358 362] as soon as possible," Dr Pickin said.
The number of people being checked for suspected swine flu across the country rose to about 90 yesterday.
Queensland was the most affected state with 31 cases, followed by Victoria and South Australia with 19 and 14 respectively.
Figures issued by the Federal Government yesterday put the worldwide number of suspected cases at 1915, with 119 confirmed and 132 deaths.
But Vivienne Allan of the World Health Organisation said it had confirmed there had been just seven deaths -- all in Mexico -- and 79 confirmed cases of the disease.
Later yesterday, the US Centres for Disease Control reported a 23-month-old child had died of the flu in Texas, the first confirmed death outside Mexico.
The Federal Government yesterday ordered eight thermal scanners, which check people's body temperatures, sent to airports across the nation, and acknowledged it was very unlikely Australia would avoid swine flu.
The directive to monitor flights into Australia from the Americas for flu symptoms has been extended to all flights into the country.
The Government is also considering making it compulsory for all passengers entering Australia to make health declarations.
Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced the measures yesterday amid international developments showing how quickly the virus is spreading.
"We are conscious that whatever steps we take it may not be possible to stop this disease coming into Australia," she said. "About 90 people are having tests ... none of those have yet even been moved to probable status.
"But ... it would be very unlikely that we would be able to protect ourselves entirely from this disease if it continues to spread with the speed that it has elsewhere."
The number of Australians who were aboard the same flight as New Zealand high school students infected with swine flu has been revised down to 15 from 22.
The eight international airports that are due to receive thermal scanners by today are Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns, the Gold Coast and Darwin.
-- with AAP
http://www.themercury.com.au/art ... _tasmania-news.html |
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