Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Australia: Trying to Slow The Spread Of The Virus

 

# 3285

 

 

 

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Australia’s 6 States

 

 

So far, most of the swine flu cases in Australia have been clustered in Victoria.    As CIDRAP Reported earlier today, health officials are admitting that they are seeing community spread in that Australian state.

 

Neighboring South Australia has only seen a handful of cases, and is attempting to quarantine suspect cases, and anyone returning from Victoria, the US, Canada, or Mexico in their homes to slow down the spread of the virus.

 

They admit, however, that it is just a matter of time before the virus becomes widespread in South Australia.

 

 

 

 

Swine flu outbreak likely: Hill

Posted 41 minutes ago
Updated 40 minutes ago

A tray of phials to be tested for swine flu

SA Health Minister John Hill says it is only a matter of time before swine flu breaks out in SA as in Victoria. (AAP: Dave Hunt, file photo)

The Health Minister, John Hill, says it is only a matter of time before swine flu breaks out in South Australia as it has in Victoria.

 

Victoria has more than 500 confirmed cases of the virus while South Australia has eight.

 

The Health Department recommends any children returning from Melbourne be quarantined at home for seven days.

 

Mr Hill says the Health Department's aim is to contain the disease until a vaccine is developed, which is expected to be late next month.

 

"Eventually I think it's inevitable that we'll all be in the situation of Victoria where the disease is just so widespread we'll have to go into a different set of arrangements which will be to sustain the vulnerable population and try and keep them protected from the bug in the community," he said.