06-05-2009, 02:57 PM
By Gemma Daley and Phoebe Sedgman, June 4th, 2009 (Bloomberg)
The number of confirmed swine flu cases in Australia surged to 876 today, authorities said, as the World Health Organization moved closer to declaring the first influenza pandemic in four decades.
Victoria, the worst-hit state, confirmed 231 more cases overnight, taking its total to 752, its health department said. Six people in the southeastern state have been hospitalized with the virus, federal Health Minister told Parliament in Canberra.
While Roxon said the outbreak isnââ¬â¢t severe enough to restrict travel, some state governments have said children who visit the Victorian capital, Melbourne, should stay away from school for a week on their return home. ââ¬ÅChildren are super spreaders,ââ¬Â Roxon said.
The WHO is closely monitoring the spread of the virus in Australia as the agency decides whether to declare a global outbreak. The virus has sickened 19,273 people and caused 117 deaths since it was discovered in Mexico and the U.S. in April, the United Nations health agency said yesterday.
Australia has the highest number of confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza outside of North America. Sustained community transmission outside the Americas would give the WHO the evidence it needs to declare a pandemic.
Health authorities in the state of New South Wales yesterday cleared passengers on the Dawn Princess cruise ship of swine flu and said they can disembark when it docks in Sydney tomorrow.
Swabs Taken
Swabs were taken from passengers with flu-like symptoms and sent to Sydney for analysis after the Carnival Australia liner was turned away from New Caledonia earlier this week, the stateââ¬â¢s Health Department said.
ââ¬ÅThere has been extensive scrutinyââ¬Â of the vessel and all 2,000 passengers and 800 crewmembers will be allowed to disembark, Kerry Chant, the stateââ¬â¢s chief health officer, said in a statement late yesterday.
Victoria has about 86 percent of national cases and the alert level there has been raised to reflect that the spread of the virus is beyond prevention, Roxon said yesterday.
Victorian authorities will focus on administering anti- influenza medication in their stockpile to confirmed cases, she said. People with confirmed infections in the state will have to isolate themselves for three days.
New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have said children who travel to Melbourne should stay away from school for a week on their return home. Queensland and Tasmania imposed the same conditions for children returning from visits to any part of Victoria.
Voluntary Quarantine
The Northern Territoryââ¬â¢s Health Minister Kon Vatskalis tested negative for swine flu today, his office said. He went into voluntary quarantine after developing symptoms on his return from Melbourne at the weekend.
Some 16 schools have been closed across Australia in response to the outbreak.
New South Wales has 74 confirmed cases, Queensland 29, South Australia 7, Tasmania 5, the ACT 4, the Northern Territory 3 and Western Australia 2, the government said.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=2...=australia
The number of confirmed swine flu cases in Australia surged to 876 today, authorities said, as the World Health Organization moved closer to declaring the first influenza pandemic in four decades.
Victoria, the worst-hit state, confirmed 231 more cases overnight, taking its total to 752, its health department said. Six people in the southeastern state have been hospitalized with the virus, federal Health Minister told Parliament in Canberra.
While Roxon said the outbreak isnââ¬â¢t severe enough to restrict travel, some state governments have said children who visit the Victorian capital, Melbourne, should stay away from school for a week on their return home. ââ¬ÅChildren are super spreaders,ââ¬Â Roxon said.
The WHO is closely monitoring the spread of the virus in Australia as the agency decides whether to declare a global outbreak. The virus has sickened 19,273 people and caused 117 deaths since it was discovered in Mexico and the U.S. in April, the United Nations health agency said yesterday.
Australia has the highest number of confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza outside of North America. Sustained community transmission outside the Americas would give the WHO the evidence it needs to declare a pandemic.
Health authorities in the state of New South Wales yesterday cleared passengers on the Dawn Princess cruise ship of swine flu and said they can disembark when it docks in Sydney tomorrow.
Swabs Taken
Swabs were taken from passengers with flu-like symptoms and sent to Sydney for analysis after the Carnival Australia liner was turned away from New Caledonia earlier this week, the stateââ¬â¢s Health Department said.
ââ¬ÅThere has been extensive scrutinyââ¬Â of the vessel and all 2,000 passengers and 800 crewmembers will be allowed to disembark, Kerry Chant, the stateââ¬â¢s chief health officer, said in a statement late yesterday.
Victoria has about 86 percent of national cases and the alert level there has been raised to reflect that the spread of the virus is beyond prevention, Roxon said yesterday.
Victorian authorities will focus on administering anti- influenza medication in their stockpile to confirmed cases, she said. People with confirmed infections in the state will have to isolate themselves for three days.
New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have said children who travel to Melbourne should stay away from school for a week on their return home. Queensland and Tasmania imposed the same conditions for children returning from visits to any part of Victoria.
Voluntary Quarantine
The Northern Territoryââ¬â¢s Health Minister Kon Vatskalis tested negative for swine flu today, his office said. He went into voluntary quarantine after developing symptoms on his return from Melbourne at the weekend.
Some 16 schools have been closed across Australia in response to the outbreak.
New South Wales has 74 confirmed cases, Queensland 29, South Australia 7, Tasmania 5, the ACT 4, the Northern Territory 3 and Western Australia 2, the government said.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=2...=australia