Swine flu cases double to 67 nationwide

Australians have been warned to brace for a rapid rise in the number of swine flu
cases in the next few days.
There were 67 confirmed cases in Australia on Wednesday evening, double the day
before but federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the majority displayed
relatively mild symptoms compared to the regular winter flu.
"People who are treated quickly with antivirals are making a very speedy recovery,"
Ms Roxon told reporters in Canberra.
Victoria had the highest number of cases with 34 confirmed, while there were 18 in
NSW, three in South Australia, eight in Queensland, three in the ACT and one in WA.
The federal government began running television advertisements from Wednesday night
advising the public on ways to avoid the disease, including tips on basic
cleanliness and what to do in case of cold or flu symptoms.
Australia's largest employer group, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(ACCI), has called on employers to be aware of their responsibilities in helping to
prevent the spread of the disease by limiting risk to their employees.
The commonwealth chief medical officer Professor Jim Bishop said there had been
little variation in the mildness of the symptoms of the confirmed swine flu, or
influenza A(H1N1), cases in Australia.
Prof Bishop said because of the delay in swine flu reaching Australia, health
authorities had been given a "head start" in preparations to deal with the outbreak,
unlike in the US which was "blind-sided".
"We've got an opportunity now to substantially modify the disease which we have been
able to do now because we are a month down the track compared to other countries,"
Prof Bishop told reporters.
"As we jump on each case and give them Tamiflu, then we reduce the infectivity."
Prof Bishop said authorities faced a marathon rather than a sprint in terms of
treating each case as it arises, with Tamiflu, as well as treating the patient's
close contacts.
He said that, based on the US and Mexican experiences, the "hard edge" swine flu
cases tended to affect young children, pregnant women, people with respiratory
illnesses, diabetics and people with gross obesity.
"We think we can do better now. Time will tell, but that's our job," Prof Bishop said.
Despite the expected rapid rise in the number of cases, Ms Roxon said Australia
remained at the "contain" stage of managing the disease and that there was no need
for public alarm or panic.
However, she said, the number of cases would rise "significantly" in the next 24 to
48 hours, consistent with patterns seen in Japan, Canada and Britain.
"Unlike the normal seasonal flu, however, we do know that the swine flu has a quite
hard edge to it, that is, a small proportion of cases can be much more severe," Ms
Roxon said.
Public concern about the disease increased dramatically on Tuesday with the Health
Department telephone hotline - 180 2007 - reporting about 1,500 calls.
Ms Roxon said no one was sure what was likely to happen if strains of the swine flu
and regular winter flu combined and mutated.
"No one is entirely sure what consequences that will have for the potential for
those two flus to combine or for one or the other to be the one that dominates," she
said.
ACCI chief executive Peter Anderson said businesses should develop plans and
mitigation measures to deal with potential disruption due to swine flu.
"Importantly, under occupational health and safety laws, all employers owe a duty of
care to their staff and should have protocols in place to minimise potential harm to
both staff and the public," Mr Anderson said in a statement.