Prime Minister John Key said today the Government did not over-react to the swine flu threat.
The number of probable swine flu cases in New Zealand stands at just 13. But Mr Key today defended the Government's handling of the potentially deadly virus outbreak.
"We did everything we should be doing," he said on NewsTalkZB.
"You can't sit back when there's a potential pandemic and do nothing.
"The Government put its pandemic plan into action, it was a good plan and it was well thought-through."
Mr Key said New Zealand's response was ahead of a lot of other countries.
"That shows how efficient our systems are."
While the number of potential swine flu cases appears to have peaked in New Zealand, health authorities are not yet prepared to let their guard down.
As experts work frantically to learn more about the H1N1 flu virus sweeping the world, there is still the possibility that it could continue to mutate and be a threat, Health Ministry deputy director of public health Darren Hunt said today.
"Influenza viruses can change and that's another good reason to take a precautionary approach," he told Radio New Zealand.
"Keep it out of the community just in case the virus does change and become more severe."
It was particularly important as southern hemisphere countries such as New Zealand headed into the traditional winter flu season, Dr Hunt said.
"Certainly, going into the winter flu season we don't want an additional load of more influenza in the country circulating.
"We also don't have a perfect handle on what this new virus is like yet, and so we are making a lot of effort to ensure there is no community transmission of it."
To date, there had been no spreading of the virus within the community, he said.
New Zealand's latest case, reported over the weekend, was of a person arriving from San Francisco on flight NZ7 on Tuesday.
Health officials have been working to trace those sitting close to the passenger on that flight.
The total number of probable cases of swine flu in New Zealand stands at 13. Four cases had been confirmed and 89 people were suspected of having the illness. A total of 360 people are in quarantine and being treated with the anti-viral Tamiflu.
Dr Hunt said he believed the swift reaction by health authorities here had kept the outbreak well contained, but that they were ready if the situation deteriorated.
- NZPA
Anyone who has travelled to Mexico or North America in the last seven days should contact Healthline (0800 611 116) for information. They should seek medical advice if they are displaying flu-like symptoms. Click here for the Ministry of Health’s influenza website
