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NZ abandons attempts to contain H1N1 flu

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-19 13:46

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- New Zealand reported 63 new cases of A(H1N1) flu Friday and said officials have abandoned attempts to contain the virus in the face of widespread transmission in the community.

Elsewhere in the region, Singapore reported 11 new cases, bringing its total to 77, but officials said all but two of the infections were contracted abroad.

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Papua New Guinea became the second South Pacific islands nation to report a single confirmed case of the infection, after Samoa confirmed its first case Tuesday. Thailand said its confirmed cases rose by 71 to 589, most of them in Bangkok.

New Zealand's confirmed case tally rose to 216, but health authorities believe the number is much higher, probably above 1,000, due to widespread transmission within the community, deputy public health director Darren Hunt said.

Virtually all the New Zealand cases were mild, with only one patient so far becoming critically ill. The 30-year-old woman, who also has other medical conditions, was hospitalized in Wellington. More serious cases were expected once the virus spreads wider within the community, Hunt said.

Health Minister Tony Ryall said authorities were moving to the "manage it" phase of the pandemic alert, after delaying the spread of the disease for two months.

Under the new strategy, people with flu would isolate themselves at home, and only severe cases and high-risk groups would be treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu, he said. Until now, all suspect flu cases were treated with the drug.

New Zealand's Health Ministry said it "is not advising people to cancel social gatherings, sports events and travel."

But government regulations mean parents who defy new rules that require children exposed to A(H1N1) flu to stay home from school for up to seven days could face fines of up to 500 new Zealand dollars ($320).

In Malaysia, the health ministry confirmed four new cases of the virus late Thursday, raising the Southeast Asian country's tally to 27. Of those, 12 have recovered and the rest are responding well to treatment, the ministry said in a statement.

The World Health Organization said as of Wednesday that more than 39,000 cases had been reported worldwide, with 167 deaths.