Gumleaf
April 27th, 2009, 06:39 PM
09:19 AEST Tue Apr 28 2009
Federal cabinet will be briefed about the likelihood of swine flu striking Australia, as Health Minister Nicola Roxon has warned that confirmed cases are possible in coming days.
Ms Roxon said Australia's health officials were meeting around the clock to respond to the health crisis.
"We want to make sure that if there are any cases identified - and of course this is at least possible, if not likely, over the coming days - that we can act immediately to help contain any outbreak here in Australia," she told ABC TV.
Ms Roxon said she and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd were working closely with the nation's top doctor, chief medical officer Jim Bishop on the issue and cabinet would also be briefed later on Tuesday.
Ten Queenslanders were being tested for swine flu and one passenger has been detained after returning from Los Angeles displaying symptoms.
Meanwhile the five people in NSW suspected of having swine flu have come through the first stage of testing and have been found to have contracted an unidentifiable type A virus, Ms Roxon says.
She says the five people, including children, will need further tests to see if they have swine flu.
"We'll go through the next range of testing to see if it is this particular disease in Mexico," Ms Roxon told the Nine Network's Today show.
"There are many types of flu strains, just in the course of the flu season, and we need to go through the process to rule out what it might be."
A laboratory in Melbourne also is testing samples of a virus that was picked up by students from a New Zealand college who returned from Mexico last Saturday displaying flu-like symptoms.
Ms Roxon said the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised its alert level overnight from level three to level four.
"That means they have made the decision that it is not going to be possible to contain this disease," Ms Roxon said.
She said Australia has stockpiled around 8.7 million doses of anti-viral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza to combat swine flu, which is believed to be a mutation of swine, avian and human flu.
"We would take advice on who you would target in the population first if we moved to a pandemic stage but we need to remember that whilst we are preparing for the worst, at this stage there are no confirmed cases in Australia," she said.
"We are taking every precaution that we can to make sure that if there are cases in Australia we can act quickly to contain them."
So far the only swine flu deaths have been recorded in Mexico, where the estimated toll has risen to 149.
The United States has recorded the second highest rate of infection, with officials doubling the number of confirmed cases to 40 and declaring the outbreak a public health emergency.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its flu pandemic alert level from three to four, signalling a "significant increase in risk of a pandemic."
Ms Roxon says Australia will takes its cues on the matter from WHO.
"Health advisers are meeting daily and through the night and are ready to change or upgrade our response any time there is new advice on the situation."
"It is a changing situation so as we learn more, if we identify any cases in Australia our response will need to change over time."
As of midnight (AEST), airlines servicing Australia from North or South America have been required to report any passengers with flu-like symptoms before being allowed to land.
She said that from 5am (AEST) Tuesday, medical officers have been stationed at international airports around the country and arrivals displaying flu-like symptoms can be given medical advice on the spot.
"The important thing in this situation is to make sure that the community, particularly the travelling community, are aware of the risks (and) do know that they need to seek advice and treatment early if they experience any flu like symptoms," she said.
"Because limiting who they then are in contact with in Australia is going to be vital to ensuring that we don't have an unnecessary spread of the disease if we have any identified cases in the future."
Australia was well prepared to handle any outbreak, Ms Roxon said.
"We are very well prepared and I am confident that we have plenty of (anti-viral drugs) Tamiflu and Relenza in our stockpile," she said.
"We have very good communication systems, we have a strong health sector that can cope with changing circumstances and they are at the ready."
© AAP 2009
Federal cabinet will be briefed about the likelihood of swine flu striking Australia, as Health Minister Nicola Roxon has warned that confirmed cases are possible in coming days.
Ms Roxon said Australia's health officials were meeting around the clock to respond to the health crisis.
"We want to make sure that if there are any cases identified - and of course this is at least possible, if not likely, over the coming days - that we can act immediately to help contain any outbreak here in Australia," she told ABC TV.
Ms Roxon said she and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd were working closely with the nation's top doctor, chief medical officer Jim Bishop on the issue and cabinet would also be briefed later on Tuesday.
Ten Queenslanders were being tested for swine flu and one passenger has been detained after returning from Los Angeles displaying symptoms.
Meanwhile the five people in NSW suspected of having swine flu have come through the first stage of testing and have been found to have contracted an unidentifiable type A virus, Ms Roxon says.
She says the five people, including children, will need further tests to see if they have swine flu.
"We'll go through the next range of testing to see if it is this particular disease in Mexico," Ms Roxon told the Nine Network's Today show.
"There are many types of flu strains, just in the course of the flu season, and we need to go through the process to rule out what it might be."
A laboratory in Melbourne also is testing samples of a virus that was picked up by students from a New Zealand college who returned from Mexico last Saturday displaying flu-like symptoms.
Ms Roxon said the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised its alert level overnight from level three to level four.
"That means they have made the decision that it is not going to be possible to contain this disease," Ms Roxon said.
She said Australia has stockpiled around 8.7 million doses of anti-viral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza to combat swine flu, which is believed to be a mutation of swine, avian and human flu.
"We would take advice on who you would target in the population first if we moved to a pandemic stage but we need to remember that whilst we are preparing for the worst, at this stage there are no confirmed cases in Australia," she said.
"We are taking every precaution that we can to make sure that if there are cases in Australia we can act quickly to contain them."
So far the only swine flu deaths have been recorded in Mexico, where the estimated toll has risen to 149.
The United States has recorded the second highest rate of infection, with officials doubling the number of confirmed cases to 40 and declaring the outbreak a public health emergency.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its flu pandemic alert level from three to four, signalling a "significant increase in risk of a pandemic."
Ms Roxon says Australia will takes its cues on the matter from WHO.
"Health advisers are meeting daily and through the night and are ready to change or upgrade our response any time there is new advice on the situation."
"It is a changing situation so as we learn more, if we identify any cases in Australia our response will need to change over time."
As of midnight (AEST), airlines servicing Australia from North or South America have been required to report any passengers with flu-like symptoms before being allowed to land.
She said that from 5am (AEST) Tuesday, medical officers have been stationed at international airports around the country and arrivals displaying flu-like symptoms can be given medical advice on the spot.
"The important thing in this situation is to make sure that the community, particularly the travelling community, are aware of the risks (and) do know that they need to seek advice and treatment early if they experience any flu like symptoms," she said.
"Because limiting who they then are in contact with in Australia is going to be vital to ensuring that we don't have an unnecessary spread of the disease if we have any identified cases in the future."
Australia was well prepared to handle any outbreak, Ms Roxon said.
"We are very well prepared and I am confident that we have plenty of (anti-viral drugs) Tamiflu and Relenza in our stockpile," she said.
"We have very good communication systems, we have a strong health sector that can cope with changing circumstances and they are at the ready."
© AAP 2009