Swine flu pandemic could last two years

Swine flu pandemic could last two years

The swine flu pandemic is expected to last between 18 and 24 months and could affect up to one million people in New Zealand.

The pandemic could last up to two years and see 30 percent of the population - around a million people - infected.

All of the swine flu cases in New Zealand had come from people who had either come into the country from overseas, or were contracted by people in close contact with travellers who had been abroad, Dr Bloomfield said.

Meanwhile, Auckland Hospital was on high alert and a child centre had closed after a nurse and her child tested positive for swine flu after returning to the country from a family holiday in the United Kingdom on Saturday.

Seasonal flu hits up to 20 percent, about 760,000 New Zealanders each year. On average, 2.7 percent of the population (156,000 people) will go to their GP because of flu each year and an estimated 95 people will die.

Swine flu in New Zealand

At least seven swine flu patients have died in New Zealand.

Total confirmed cases yesterday were 1779, up from 1555 on Friday.

10 battle swine flu in intensive care

Ten people are fighting for their lives in Auckland and Northland hospitals after testing positive for swine flu.

One of the patients critically ill with swine flu in Auckland was teenager Claudia Teague, a Year 9 student from Woodford House in Havelock North, who is in Starship children's hospital after becoming sick in the holidays.


A 29-year-old man also with suspected swine flu and no underlying medical conditions spent time in intensive care after being admitted to Gisborne Hospital.

* Warning signs

The Ministry of Health advises people to call a doctor or Healthline (0800 611 116) if the ill person:

Starts to feel better, then gets worse.

Has a temperature of 38C or greater.

Has chills or severe shaking.

Has difficulty breathing or chest pain.

Has purple or blue discoloration of the lips.

Is less responsive than normal, is unusually quiet, or becomes confused.

Is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down.

Has signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, not urinating, and in infants, a lack of tears when they cry.

Has seizures or convulsions.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: NZPA

More patients critically ill from swine flu

There have been no deaths from swine flu since the weekend but the number of critically ill patients is increasing.

Seven people have died from swine flu but in Northland and Auckland alone 10 people are reported to be fighting for their lives after testing positive for swine flu, or H1N1.

Swine flu now dominant strain in New Zealand

Swine flu has spread so quickly in New Zealand that it has replaced seasonal influenza that hits every winter as the dominant strain, according to an expert quoted on Saturday.

'The speed at which it has replaced seasonal influenza as the predominant strain just within the last week is incredible,' Sue Huang, head of the national influenza centre told Wellington's Dominion Post.

Alarm as swine flu becomes dominant

Swine flu, which has killed at least six people so far, is now the dominant strain in New Zealand, scientists say.

THE STATS

*Six deaths of people confirmed to have swine flu test results are awaited on a seventh dead person.

*Total number of confirmed cases yesterday 1555, up from 1431 the day before.

*As of last Sunday, 162 people had been admitted to hospital, 29 with pneumonia and five with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Swine flu adds to winter pressure

Swine flu adds to winter pressure

The number of patients seeking help from hospitals and GPs has spiked as swine flu compounds the usual winter peak of illness in the community.

"There's been a significant increase over the last three to four weeks in the numbers of people consulting primary care for influenza-like illness.

"Hospitals are also, anecdotally, reporting in some places an increased number of people turning up at emergency departments."

"We are starting to see a winter spike and we are bracing a little bit for what is going to be a fairly bad winter."

Measles outbreak in Christchurch

Measles outbreak in Christchurch

Health officials are working to contain a measles outbreak in Christchurch.

Four teenagers at Christchurch Boys' High School have caught the potentially lethal infection, with a fifth case suspected.

The boys are all in isolation at home. Their family and friends have also been told by authorities to stay home for several days unless they are immunised against the childhood disease.

Canterbury medical officer of health Cheryl Brunton is expecting more cases in the coming days.

"It is an outbreak of a highly contagious disease and we expect that there will be many more cases associated with this outbreak," she told Radio New Zealand.

"Just talking to the cases and their parents that we know about, we know that they've had contact with many other children."

Swine flu total jumps sharply by 64 cases

New Zealand's official count of swine flu cases jumped sharply again yesterday - the same day as the world's first case was reported of the virus being resistant to Tamiflu treatment.

The Ministry of Health reported 64 new cases of confirmed swine flu yesterday, taking the tally since the illness emerged in April to 653. However, the real number will be much higher, since routine swabbing of potential cases has stopped.

First 'probable' swine flu deaths in New Zealand

New Zealand appears to have had its first swine flu deaths following confirmation today that three people who have died in the past week had the virus.

Chief Coroner Neil MacLean said a 19-year-old man died last Sunday in Hamilton and a 42-year-old man died on Thursday in Christchurch.

It was "strongly probable" that the H1N1 virus (swine flu) was a major factor in the deaths of both men.

Meanwhile, Capital and Coast District Health Board said a young girl with underlying medical conditions died this morning in Wellington Hospital. She had earlier tested positive to swine flu.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said he, along with the ministry, expressed sincere condolences to the each of the families involved.

As of today, the total number of confirmed cases in New Zealand was 945, up from 912 yesterday.

Swine flu deaths in New Zealand