Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question, with a little bit of notice, is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing. Following reports of pigs in Canada catching the Mexican flu—H1N1, otherwise known as swine flu—from humans, what is to prevent pigs in South-East Asia that are already carrying the bird flu virus, H5N1, from catching the Mexican flu as it spreads there and being the incubator for a more deadly strain of avian and swine influenza with human-to-human transmissibility? In what other ways might the Mexican H1N1 flu become more life threatening?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brown for his question. I have the following answer. This is a question, of course, that is in relation to the transmissibility, which is being considered by scientists worldwide. The spread of influenza A from humans to pigs as occurred recently in Canada is unusual. There is potential, if the H1N1 virus spreads into Indonesia, for it to be passed from humans to pigs. If this were to happen, it is not known if the virus would be able to mix with the H5 virus, otherwise known as the bird flu, within the pig population. Evidence to date about the bird flu virus is that its ability to mix with other viruses is limited compared with the ability of seasonal viruses—that is, those which are H1 and H3—to mix. Nonetheless, this is an important concern that needs close monitoring within any region that has endemic infection with H5 in animal populations. Australia has provided substantial assistance to Indonesia to enhance their ability to detect and manage the H5 bird flu. I also briefly add that to date there have been no further confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza 09—that is, the human swine influenza—since 9 May 2009, and the Australian phase of influenza pandemic alert remains at ‘delay’. There is, of course, no evidence of person-to-person transmission of the virus in Australia, and the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer advises that there is no change to the alert level in Australia at this time. I can say— (Time expired)

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister and ask him again in what other ways the Mexican swine flu might become more life threatening. For example, is it not possible that the Mexican flu might, in humans, cross with the virulent Brisbane strain, H3N2/H1N1, and become Tamiflu resistant? I ask that question because we know that there are eight to nine million courses of Tamiflu in Australia, but that bulwark against the spread of bird or swine flu might be rendered useless were such a Tamiflu resistant strain to become real.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brown for his supplementary question. I can add in relation to the question of in what ways the Mexican H1N1 flu might become more life threatening that the Mexican H1N1 influenza could become more life threatening if the virus changed its genetic structure. It could also cause a mild disease. History has shown us that pandemic viruses change in severity as they move around the world causing waves of disease. The World Health Organisation has stated that the emergence of an inherently more virulent virus during the course of the pandemic can never, of course, be ruled out. Australia is amongst the best prepared nations in the world for pandemic infectious diseases. As to the question of whether Australia is prepared for a pandemic, I can answer, ‘Yes, Australia is one of the best prepared countries in the world— (Time expired)

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. The minister mentioned that Australia had given assistance to Indonesia to detect bird flu. I ask the minister: what assistance has Australia given to East Timor, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea in terms of building up their stocks of antivirals such as Tamiflu and Relenza?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Brown. As I was providing assistance to you in relation to that question I did, as you indicated, indicate that we are providing assistance. I do not have the specific details of each individual assistance that we are providing. I am happy to take it on notice and provide you with a response to that as early as the Minister for Health and Ageing is able to. I am sure that you, like the rest of the chamber, are vitally interested in this subject, and we should be able to provide a response as soon as possible. Of course, the preparedness to detect cases of new H1N1 influenza and reduce the spread of the disease reduces the risk of the virus crossing with a Tamiflu-resistant strain. I think it is worth adding that Australia has appropriate stocks of antivirals other than Tamiflu in the national medical stockpile. (Time expired)