# 6136
On an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon here in the states, news wires are carrying reports of a Boeing 777-200 inbound from Japan that has landed at Auckland’s airport with roughly 60 passengers exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
While this sounds like the opening scene to a pandemic disaster movie, in all likelihood this will sorted out to be standard H3N2 influenza which is currently spreading across much of Japan.
The sudden onset of so many cases during this flight has obviously set off alarm bells for local health authorities, however.
New Zealand has developed one of the most aggressive airport disease surveillance and interdiction systems in the world.
For now, local media is reporting that all 274 passengers remain on the plane, and health authorities are setting up some sort of quarantine.
A couple of reports:
First from TVNZ
Health scare at Auckland Airport
breaking news
Published: 9:48AM Monday February 13, 2012
A major health response is under way after an Air New Zealand plane landed at Auckland Airport with children with flu-like symptoms on-board.
A group of 60 passengers arrived into Auckland off NZ90 from Narita, Tokyo, this morning with the symptoms.
Air New Zealand is following public health procedures and has advised the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.
And this report from 3News New Zealand.
Flu-like symptoms on Air NZ Tokyo flight
By 3 News online staff
Sixty passengers arriving at Auckland International Airport this morning have reported flu-like symptoms, Air New Zealand has confirmed.
Flight NZ90 from Tokyo landed a short time ago and passengers remaining on the plane could be seen on the plane wearing face masks.
While the odds favor this outbreak turning out to be something fairly mundane, I’ll keep an eye on it and update this blog if I hear more.
