Main cities take the brunt as swine flu cases hit 258

Only the most vulnerable will now be swabbed and tested More than 40 people have tested positive for swine flu since Friday, pushing total infections to 258, the Ministry of Health said yesterday.

Most confirmed cases - 213 - were reported in the past seven days and were largely in the three main cities.

A backlog of test results being processed during the weekend contributed to the jump in numbers.

The ministry's director of public health, Mark Jacobs, said most cases had been mild to moderate, but it was inevitable some would be more severe as swine flu spread. "If New Zealand has many cases of swine flu overall, like we expect, this will mean an increasing number of people who will face more serious illness."

A 30-year-old woman, described as morbidly obese and having respiratory problems, remained in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital yesterday as she battled the H1N1 virus.

She was being kept in isolation and was one of three patients and two nurses at the hospital with swine flu.

There were 69 confirmed cases in Auckland, 108 in Wellington, and 67 in Canterbury, with a handful in Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui/Palmerston North and Nelson/Marlborough.

The number of probable cases remained unchanged at 17, and there were 728 suspected cases, up from 643 on Friday.

Dr Jacobs said services were focusing on people with more severe illness or those at highest risk.

"For most people who get infected with influenza A (H1N1) swine flu, it will be a mild to moderate illness and people should be able to care for themselves at home," he said.

"However, a person shouldseek medical care if they developflu and they have other significant health problems, or if they become more seriously ill" - for example,if they experience shortness ofbreath.

Only the people most vulnerable to developing serious complications, or those with serious cases, would be swabbed and tested for swine flu.

The number of confirmed cases internationally remained at 44,287, including 180 deaths.

- NZPA