Killer flu claims two more lives in Australia
Pastor Dale Morgan
Killer flu claims two more lives in Australia *
By Janelle Miles
August 13, 2007 01:54pm
Article from: The Courier-Mail
ANOTHER two adults, both in their 30s and both from Queensland, have
died after developing flu-like symptoms.
Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young will hold a news
conference at 3.30pm..
The deaths follow those of a four-year-old boy and 37-year-old
father-of-three Glen Kindness in Queensland in the past two weeks after
they developed influenza A.
The two latest victims are believed to be from southeast Queensland.
Premier Peter Beattie said today that the Queensland Government would
make its stockpile of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu available to ensure
everyone who needed the drug would have access to it.
Mr Beattie said Dr Young was becoming increasingly concerned about the
growing seriousness of the state's flu outbreak.
"It's not too late for people who have not had the flu vaccine to be
protected by it," he said.
"The fact that otherwise healthy young people are now dying from the flu
is of serious concern."
Mr Beattie said he had been concerned by reports that people ill with
the flu were experiencing difficulties in having prescriptions for
Tamiflu filled in Queensland.
"That's why we're taking the extraordinary step of opening up our
stockpile to make it available to Queensland families via the public
hospital system as needed," he said.
The Premier said he would be asking Prime Minister John Howard to follow
Queensland's lead to provide stocks of Tamiflu from the national
stockpile to residents of aged homes.