Hawke’s Bay Sees Cases Of Swine Flu

18 June 2009

Hawke’s Bay beginning to see cases of influenza A H1N1, ‘swine flu’

Figures released today show that Hawke’s Bay has one confirmed new case of the virus and three probable cases under investigation.

The cases are:
Confirmed a 2 year old male
Probable a 35 year old male
a 43 year old male
a 14 year old male

HBDHB’s Public Health Unit advise that all cases are in isolation, being treated with Tamiflu, results from swabs taken are expected within the next 24 – 36 hours.

Says Dr McElnay, HBDHB’s Medical Officer of Health “It is clear that the messages regarding what to do if you suspect you may have H1N1 are getting out to the community as in all these instances the people involved have behaved responsibly to look after themselves and minimise the risk of spreading the infection.”

The DHB’s Pandemic Incident Controller Ken Foote says “It is clear that we are likely to see increased spread in our community of the new H1N1 influenza virus. Schools, businesses, childcare centres and households need to prepare now. Households should be considering who will look after extended family that may fall ill, and families need to be thinking about childcare if schools and childcare centres are closed.”

World health experts believed that the new virus spread the same way as seasonal flu, but because it was a new virus there was little or no immunity in the population so it was expected to spread swiftly and more widely than common influenza, he said.

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.

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.

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

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