Human Swine Influenza
28/04/2009
| Human Swine Influenza
MidCentral District Health Board is currently monitoring the national and international information coming in regarding the H1N1 human swine influenza outbreak.
On Sunday the Minister of Health Tony Ryall announced the country was in Code Yellow which is a heightened state of awareness and border management.
MDHB is prepared for Pandemic and has been training for the past three years to manage an outbreak of influenza.
Medical Officer of Health, Dr Jill McKenzie says the DHB is prepared to activate an Emergency Operations Centre, and is preparing staff and services along with service providers and will be monitoring the local situation and liaising with the Ministry of Health.
She said MidCentral Health Public Health Service is currently following up people in the MDHB area who were on flight NZ1 on Saturday 25 April. Passengers on this flight will be provided with information about the need to remain at home and to receive a course of prophylactic Tamiflu medication. Any passengers on this flight with symptoms will have a swab arranged via their General Practitioner. Results from the swabs will take up to three days to be available.
The current advice from the Ministry of Health is that members of the public who have travelled to Mexico or North America in the last fortnight who are ill with influenza like symptoms (sudden onset of fever, headache, aching muscles and subsequent cough and runny nose symptoms) should contact their General Practitioner to arrange for assessment. Travellers without symptoms can obtain further information from Healthline 0800 611 116.
As it is the start of our regular flu season it is important to remember that the measures to prevent further spread of any potential Human swine influenza are just as important for preventing spread of any type of influenza.
Recommendations to prevent the spread of influenza
1. Wash your hands
a. By washing your hands with soap under warm running water, you will reduce your chance of getting the flu.
b. Alcohol-based hand gel can also be used if soap and water are not readily available. It’s a good idea to keep some with you in your pocket or purse when you travel.
2. Practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette.
a. Cover your mouth and/or nose with a tissue to reduce the spread of germs. Remember to wash your hands afterwards.
b. Dispose of tissues in the rubbish
3. Try to avoid close contact with sick people – 1-2 metres of separation from people who are coughing and sneezing reduces your chance of being infected with the influenza virus.
4. If you develop flu-like symptoms after travel outside of New Zealand, you should seek medical attention by ringing a GP in the first instance. Give the health care provider details about your travel in the last two weeks.
5. Stay away from work or school when you have influenza like symptoms to prevent spreading the infection to other people.
For more information go to http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/ or http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf, or ring Healthline on 0800 611 116