We had a news flash last night on T.V.
It appears ten new Zealand students returning from Mexico have had positive results of influenza A, other students in the group are experiencing symptoms.
80 people are reported dead already, and 1300 cases confirmed in Mexico.
Swine Flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by influenza A.
The country is holding its breath to see if the ten children show positive for the swine virus. 364 passengers on the same flight as the teenagers are being traced and tested.
If the majority of these passengers are infected then the statistics could quickly be quadrupled. This is scary in a country of our size of over four million people.
I am strongly hesitating to send my daughter up to the North Island where these cases have presented. Flying is unwise as the disease would be concentrated in a small area. Also it is rumoured that some of the passengers on flight NZ1 have flown down to our part of New-Zealand. So the added security of living on separate Islands may have been breached.
What is interesting is that the major
at risk group is between the ages of 25-45 and it is being compared to the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 where millions of people died. Being in this age range with a chronic illness, I will be more cautious.
I wasn't to concerned about Bird Flu, and felt it was a huge scaremongering tactic. This situation however is very real and viable threat to our country.
I hope people start practising good hygiene and quarantine measures.
It appears ten new Zealand students returning from Mexico have had positive results of influenza A, other students in the group are experiencing symptoms.
80 people are reported dead already, and 1300 cases confirmed in Mexico.
Swine Flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by influenza A.
The country is holding its breath to see if the ten children show positive for the swine virus. 364 passengers on the same flight as the teenagers are being traced and tested.
If the majority of these passengers are infected then the statistics could quickly be quadrupled. This is scary in a country of our size of over four million people.
I am strongly hesitating to send my daughter up to the North Island where these cases have presented. Flying is unwise as the disease would be concentrated in a small area. Also it is rumoured that some of the passengers on flight NZ1 have flown down to our part of New-Zealand. So the added security of living on separate Islands may have been breached.
What is interesting is that the major at risk group is between the ages of 25-45 and it is being compared to the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 where millions of people died. Being in this age range with a chronic illness, I will be more cautious.
I wasn't to concerned about Bird Flu, and felt it was a huge scaremongering tactic. This situation however is very real and viable threat to our country.
I hope people start practising good hygiene and quarantine measures.