The Northern Territory has a total of 31 confirmed cases of H1N1 Human Swine Influenza (swine flu), the latest new cases identified in various locations, including Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, the Warlpiri area and Jabiru.
All of the new cases involve people who have travelled from Victoria, or been in contact with confirmed cases that have visited there or Japan.
A teenage girl who is part of a visiting Melbourne school group was transferred today from Yulara to Alice Springs Hospital on an RFDS flight. Pathology samples were taken from the girl after she became ill with severe flu-like symptoms. The girl has now been confirmed positive for the H1N1 virus. The girl's condition is satisfactory.
Two other girls in the visiting school group tested positive for swine flu earlier in the week. Both are now well. All contacts of the girls have been followed up and are receiving Tamiflu antivirals.
The Department of Education and Training advised today that Wallace Rockhole School in Central Australia will be closed for one day after some students were identified as possible H1N1 cases. A number of the students had been in contact last week with the visiting students from Melbourne who were found to be infected with the H1N1 virus.
The Wallace Rockhole students have been assessed, provided with anti-influenza medication and placed in home quarantine. Because this involved the majority of the students in a small school, the recommendation was made to close the school until the quarantined students have had three doses of the medication. The school will re-open on Tuesday.
A student at Dripstone Middle School in Darwin has tested positive for swine flu and been home quarantined. Over the weekend, the Centre for Disease Control contacted all but a few of the students in the infected student's classes. Those considered to have been in close contact with the infected student have been provided with anti-influenza medication and placed in home quarantine. The remaining students will be assessed first thing tomorrow (Monday 15 June) morning. The school will continue to operate for this last week of the term.
* The Human Swine Influenza page on the Department of Health and Families website http://www.health.nt.gov.au carries an updated table of swine flu figure and other information.
Media contact: Robin Osborne, DHF Director of Media, 0488 692 781
Release date: Sunday, 14 June 2009, 7.30 pm
