Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. This morning I was briefed by the Chief Medical Officer on the global public health challenge of human swine influenza and its development in Australia. As of 1200 Eastern Standard Time today, the total number of confirmed human swine influenza cases had risen to 61. Among states and territories they are as follows: Victoria, 33; New South Wales, 18; Queensland, five; South Australia, three; Western Australia, one; and the Australian Capital Territory, one. The Australian community should prepare for the number of swine flu cases to continue to increase consistent with the pattern we have seen in other countries around the world. The World Health Organisation confirmed that human-to-human transmission has occurred in the following countries: Belgium, Canada, Chile, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. Globally, the World Health Organisation has confirmed 46 countries officially reporting 12,594 cases of human swine influenza. Specifically, in Canada the number of confirmed cases has risen to 921, in Japan the number of confirmed cases has risen to 350 and in the United States the number of confirmed cases has risen to 6,764.

As we consider these numbers, it is important to remember that we are coming into the flu season, while the Northern Hemisphere is moving out of its flu season. Like the normal seasonal flu, most people with swine flu will experience mild symptoms. The CMO advises that people who are treated quickly with antivirals will have a speedy recovery. We know that swine influenza has a hard edge—that is, in a small proportion of cases it can be more severe. That is why, while there is no cause for alarm or panic, we need to remain vigilant and will continue to carefully monitor the situation and act on the advice of our medical experts.

The Commonwealth, along with states and territories, has already acted to advise students returning from countries with a concerning level of transmission that they should remain at home for seven days; has acted to close six schools, four in Victoria and two in South Australia; has provided information to emergency departments and GPs on known characteristics and risk factors for the disease; has established a hotline at 1802007, which has already received a number of inquiries; has ensured that airports have a clinical presence with nurses available; and, has, on the advice of the CMO, included swine influenza to be a quarantineable disease in humans under the Quarantine Act 1908, so that people likely to have been exposed to potential swine flu can be placed under surveillance and potentially quarantined.

All incoming passenger flights are required to report to the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, AQIS, on the health status of passengers on the planes. With the use of thermal scanners at international airports, passengers detected as having a raised temperature may be required to provide a nose or throat swab. Health declaration cards have been made compulsory for all international flights since 6 May. Health message signs have also been installed at international airports. Government advertising on radio and in newspapers providing information about what to do if you have symptoms of swine flu have commenced and the pandemic alert has been upgraded to CONTAIN as of 22 May 2009.

The government has had a number of measures in place to closely monitor the situation. The Australian Health Protection Committee, made up of the Commonwealth and state and territory chief medical officers, meets twice daily. Officials in all jurisdictions have been engaged through the National Pandemic Emergency Committee in a 24-hour national incident room at the federal department of health. Critically, Australia remains one of the best prepared countries in the world for a possible pandemic with a stockpile of more than 8.7 million courses of antivirals. Earlier today the minister for health and the Chief Medical Officer launched new television ads to ensure that proper information is being provided to parents and to families.

Finally, I also take this opportunity to provide an important message to all Australians. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms—fever, sore throat, cough, headache and muscle aches and pains—seek the advice of a health professional. Each one of us can take steps to avoid the spread of the flu by simple things: firstly, washing your hands often and thoroughly; secondly, covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough; and, thirdly, disposing of used tissues in the bin. Finally, if any person in the public is experiencing flu-like symptoms, we would urge them to seek medical advice and try to avoid close contact with others.

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