Australia 'mustn't panic' over swine flu

(AAP) The nation's top doctor has urged people to be vigilant but not alarmed in response to news a deadly swine flu that appeared in Mexico may have reached Australia's doorstep.

The new influenza strain, feared to have killed 81 people in Mexico and infected 10
in the US, has "pandemic potential", the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on
Sunday.
Ten New Zealand students just returned from Mexico have tested positive for
influenza A and are believed "likely" to have contracted swine flu, the New Zealand
government said on Sunday.
Three teachers and 22 senior students from Auckland's Rangitoto College were kept in
isolation after they returned from Mexico on Saturday after a three-week language
trip with flu-like symptoms.
"Ministry of Health officials advise me there is no guarantee these students have
swine influenza, but they consider it likely," NZ Health Minister Tony Ryall said in
a statement.
None are considered seriously ill and most seem to be on the road to recovery, he said.
Medical test results would be sent to the World Health Organisation laboratory in
Melbourne to ascertain whether it was the H1N1 swine influenza, he said.
The Rudd government has come under fire from the Australian Greens for being too
slow to respond after learning of the situation on Saturday.
Chief medical officer Jim Bishop said emergency departments were alerted late on
Saturday, while GPs were notified on Sunday.
The World Health Organisation has not changed its warning level on pandemics and
Australian officials had taken that into account, he said.
"We don't think we should be very worried at the moment," he told AAP.
"We're not aware of any cases (in Australia). We have a good surveillance system in
this country, we have got plenty of the anti-viral medicines.
"We're in a good state of preparedness and then obviously it will become clear (in)
the next, I guess, few days, week or so, whether more steps need to be taken."
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said the government should have done more, sooner.
"It should have been on the front foot on this yesterday," he told AAP.
"Every day in dealing with a pandemic is absolutely crucial."
Doctors have been told to alert their local public health authority if they see
patients with flu-like symptoms who have travelled overseas in the last fortnight,
particularly to Mexico or the US, Professor Bishop said.
They have been advised to take swabs and tell travellers with flu-like symptoms to
avoid public places until they are well.
Airports are not on official alert but are aware of the situation.
Prof Bishop said the Australian health department has been consulting with border
agencies and reviewing their preparedness.
"There has been no change in the current arrangements (at airports) at this time,
but that's under constant review so that could be upgraded based on information that
we might get from overseas," he said.
"All the cases in the United States are mild. We don't have good information out of
Mexico."
The virus, which has infected about 1,100 people in Mexico, seems to be a hybrid
form of human, bird and pig flu, Prof Bishop said.
"We're concerned it would produce a new type of flu that might be less predictable,"
he said.
"It does seem to be (transmitted from) human to human."
Anti-viral drugs that could be sensitive to the virus are available through
pharmacies and are also in the national stockpile in case of emergency.
The health protection committee, of which Professor Bishop is a member, is liaising
with the WHO as well as health authorities in New Zealand and the US.
The latest information on Australia's response to swine flu will be posted on the
internet at www.health.gov.au.