Plagues, Pestilences and Diseases
Swine flu 'continues to spread' in NZ
* From: AFP
* August 23, 2010 5:55PM
SWINE flu continues to spread in New Zealand, health officials said as
the death toll rose to 10 and some areas reported more people in
hospital than during last year's pandemic.
Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the global
pandemic over, H1N1 "is the most common strain of influenza
circulating" in New Zealand, director of public health Mark Jacobs said.
"So far this year there have been 10 deaths reported as linked to swine
flu," he said, up from six a week ago.
More than 500 people have been admitted to hospital with lab-confirmed
swine flu so far this year with 16 treated in intensive care.
With vaccine supplies dwindling, Jacobs said arrangements were being
made to make another 35,000 doses available.
Although the WHO has said the swine flu pandemic has "largely run its
course" it did acknowledge that severe outbreaks could still occur in
some countries.