Influenza A (H1N1) Swine Flu - Update Seventy-eight

The Ministry of Health has upgraded its website as the first port of call for people without symptoms of influenza wanting information about swine flu in New Zealand. This is part of a plan to support the increasing demand on Healthline and give New Zealanders the information they are seeking.

Information and health advice can be accessed through Healthline 0800 611 116, however the volume of calls being received by the call centre means there may be some delay in calls being answered. The Ministry of Health is boosting the capacity of the Healthline call centre to try to reduce waiting times and the Ministry apologises for delays experienced by some people. Callers to Healthline seeking flu informaton who do not have symptoms should take the "Press 1" option. They will hear recorded information about influenza A (H1N1) but can also opt to speak to an operator at any time. Those with symptoms should "Press 2" to speak to a registered nurse.

The Ministry is also moving on options to provide an additional telephone advice service for GPs.

New Zealand remains in the containment phase although planning is underway to move to a "manage it" phase when required. While the number of cases of the new influenza H1N1 is increasing in New Zealand, there are still relatively few cases and only isolated instances of community transmission.

Containment involves both border management (keep it out) and cluster control (stamp it out), but as more cases are confirmed in the community the focus will need to shift to boosting the way care is provided in the community. The decision on where best to direct the efforts of health professionals is reviewed daily.

Preventing, delaying and minimising the arrival of further cases of infection into New Zealand and controlling any cases or clusters that are found in New Zealand remains the current objective. This strategy is being kept under continual review.

Planning for the next phase is to enable community based health services to manage large numbers of people with influenza as well as maintain services for patients with other illnesses. An important part of this approach will include advising individuals how to look after themselves at home where this is possible - in the same way they would with seasonal flu.

Information for the public is being constantly revised and improved to ensure people have easy access to comprehensive advice about the new influenza.

General information on the signs and symptoms of the new influenza, advice on limiting the spread of infection and on how to care for yourself at home, can be found on the Ministry of Health website www.moh.govt.nz.

The Ministry has upgraded the influenza A H1N1 web pages to make it easier for people to find information about the new influenza.

School closures
An increasing number of schools are being affected by partial or total closure, due to the new influenza A H1N1. In some instances there may be only one or two confirmed cases in a school, however the number of other students away sick with influenza-like illnesses has been a significant factor in decisions to close or partially close a school. This decision isn't taken lightly - it's necessary to help stop the spread of the virus.

The numbers
The cumulative total of confirmed cases in New Zealand is now 127, up 18 from 109 reported in our last update yesterday. Of these, 105 are current cases. There are also 20 probable cases.

The 18 new confirmed cases are:

Auckland - four cases
a male aged 33 years
a female aged 7 years
a case aged 11 (sex unknown)
a male aged 8 years

Rotorua - one case
a male aged 15 years

Wellington - four cases
a female aged 3 years
a male aged 5 years
a male aged 17 years
a male aged 20 years

Christchurch - nine cases
a four-year-old (sex unknown)
a female aged 3 years
a female aged 63 years
a male aged 15 years
a female aged 4 years
a female aged 33 years
a female aged 14 years
a female aged 21 years
a case (age and sex unknown)

The cumulative total of confirmed cases by region are:
Northland, 0; Auckland, 42; Waikato, 4; Bay of Plenty/Lakes, 3; Gisborne, 0; Hawkes Bay, 1; Taranaki, 0; Wanganui/Palmerston North, 1; Wellington, 27; Nelson/Marlborough, 1; Canterbury, 30; Otago/Southland, 0.

Travellers
The Ministry has refined the advice to international travellers arriving in New Zealand. Better information about the incubation period of the disease means that only people with flu-like symptoms within four days of overseas travel are now considered to be at risk of having the new influenza A (H1N1).

Public Health professionals are present at the border and information is being provided to travellers.

Advice for workplaces
For most workplaces it is business as usual and staff should stay home only if they have flu-like symptoms or if they have received medical advice to stay home. Generally, if a staff member is suspected of having new influenza A (H1N1) public health staff will assess them and advise on appropriate action.

How to protect yourself and others
Signs and symptoms of influenza include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. Some people also experience diarrhoea and vomiting.
Try to avoid contact with sick people and reduce time spent in crowded settings.
Sick people should stay home until they are well, rather than going to school or work.
If you become sick, stay home for seven days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep you from infecting others. Most people will be able to safely recover at home.

You should seek medical advice if necessary (by phone first), for example if you have a serious underlying health condition or your condition worsens. This is particularly important for people with underlying medical conditions, who are at greater risk of developing complications from influenza. If you need medical advice, please phone Healthline 0800 611 116 in the first instance, or your GP. Do not turn up at a hospital or medical centre before doing this as you can spread germs to other people.
If you are caring for someone with the flu, watch for signs that they may need further medical attention, including: difficulty breathing, chest pain, blueness around the lips, inability to keep fluids down, becoming less alert or developing confusion. More information can be found on the Victorian Health website (http://humanswineflu.health.vic.gov.au/public/what_to_expect.htm) and Centre for Disease Control website (http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm)

Be Prepared - at home and in the workplace
Be prepared - This is the time for people to make sure they’re prepared to be self-sufficient for a week, should they need to. This means you should have enough food water and basic medical supplies including paracetamol or ibuprofen, as well as regular medications, nappies for babies, cleaning products, tissues and bathroom supplies for at least a week.

Hand hygiene is still the single most effective measure in protecting yourself. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly.

Alcohol-based cleaners are also effective. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as germs spread this way.

Practise good cough and sneeze etiquette. This means covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and disposing of the tissue in a lined rubbish bin with a lid or plastic bag
Checklists and advice on how individuals and families can prepare for a pandemic are available on the Ministry of Health's website: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/pandemicinfluenza-resources-factsheets

International Update from the World Health Organization
Last Friday, WHO announced a pandemic phase 6 – the highest phase - which means there is global spread of the virus, but it does not mean the disease is severe.

The WHO website is expected to be updated this evening. As of 17:00 GMT, 15 June 2009, 76 countries have officially reported 35, 928 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 163 deaths.

The breakdown of the number of laboratory-confirmed cases by country is given in the following table http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_06_15/en/index.html

As at 5am AEST on 17 June, the number of confirmed cases in Australia was 1965, with 1210 of these cases in Victoria.

Updates on the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak are available on the WHO website on a regular basis (http://www.who.int)

Unless where otherwise specified, this information can be attributed to Dr Fran McGrath, Deputy Director of Public Health.

Media Only: For further information please phone
Ministry of Health National Health Coordination Centre, Communications Desk
+64 (04) 816 3660 or +64 (021) 243 6805

For specific health advice the public should call Healthline 0800 611 116