Page 2561 - Week 07 - Thursday, 18 June 2009
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On 3 June 2009, ACT Health opened an influenza assessment centre at Calvary hospital. The centre offered an alternative to emergency departments and GP surgeries for people who needed to have their flu symptoms assessed and treated. There were four confirmed cases in the ACT and 504 confirmed cases in Australia, mostly in Victoria at that time.
On 11 June, the World Health Organisation raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6, confirming widespread human infection and community-level outbreak. There was a cumulative case count of 22 confirmed cases in the ACT at that time, and all have recovered. On 12 June 2009, the second influenza assessment centre opened at the Canberra Hospital in response to a rise in the number of cases. I understand that 10 new cases were confirmed in the ACT late yesterday—17 June—bringing the number to 75. We have had five additional cases this morning. So there have now been 80 confirmed cases in the ACT to date. No confirmed cases in the ACT have required hospitalisation.
By moving to phase 6 in its pandemic response, the World Health Organisation has recognised wide international spread of this disease. The severity can vary from one country to another, and the disease will need to be monitored closely for any changes that indicate it may be becoming more severe. While some deaths have occurred in other countries and some people within Australia have needed treatment in hospital, most people have had a milder version of the infection and have recovered after a few days at home. There are particular concerns about people who, because of pre-existing conditions, are likely to be particularly vulnerable to this virus, as they are to other strains of influenza. Overseas about two per cent of cases have been severe, involving complications such as pneumonia.
Another characteristic of this disease is that it has been predominantly affecting younger people. In Australia and overseas, the majority of cases have occurred in people under the age of 25. Overall, however, the Australian experience of H1N1 influenza 09 is that it has not been as severe as originally envisaged when the Australian health management plan for pandemic influenza was written in 2008. All Australian jurisdictions except Victoria to date have based their response on the “contain” level of the national response plan. Victoria, because of the large number of cases there, has been in a modified “sustain” phase.
The commonwealth minister for health has announced that states and territories will move to a new “protect” phase in the Australian health management plan for pandemic influenza, and that announcement was made yesterday. This phase will take effect from this coming Monday, 22 June. It will mean a number of changes to our approach to diagnosing and managing human swine influenza. This decision was made by the Australian government based on advice provided by the Australian Health Protection Committee, taking into account the scientific and medical evidence on the current outbreak. This new phase takes into account the fact that the disease is mild in most cases and that most people make a rapid and full recovery. It also acknowledges that the disease can be severe in some people.
The new phase will allow the ACT and other jurisdictions to focus attention on minimising the adverse health impact on people for whom the disease may be severe.
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