Twelfth case of swine flu confirmed in NZ

New Zealand's confirmed cases of swine flu have risen again this week, with the 12th case a person who arrived from Los Angeles at the end of May.

The new case was a passenger from Air NZ flight NZ5 on May 31, said deputy director of public health Dr Fran McGrath.

The person and close contacts were in isolation at home and being treated with Tamiflu.

That followed notification on Wednesday night of a person who arrived in New Zealand on May 30 on Air NZ flight NZ5, and had been confirmed as having swine flu.

A New Zealand woman on board the Pacific Sun cruise ship, which docked in Auckland yesterday, was cleared of having swine flu after an Auckland laboratory retested samples yesterday.

She tested positive for Influenza A after boarding the cruise ship in Brisbane.

New Zealand's confirmed swine flu cases were stable at 10 until this week. Health officials are warning that cases are likely to increase given the huge rise of cases in Australia.

An advertising campaign is due to start tomorrow in newspapers and on radio, airport posters and billboards to remind people about swine flu and how to limit its spread.

More than 100 people have died from swine flu worldwide, and 19,273 cases have been reported in 66 countries.

Australia reported 878 confirmed cases of swine flu as of 5am today, up from 634 a day ago.

In New Zealand, the number of suspected cases fell to 58 from 66 yesterday. There were 66 people in isolation or quarantine and being treated with Tamiflu, up from 63.

- NZPA