Twelve people in intensive care with swine flu

Zachary Wilson was the first New Zealander to die from swine flu. Photo / Supplied

Twelve people are now in New Zealand intensive care wards with swine flu.

The number of people in hospital with the virus, influenza A (H1N1) was 47, and 12 of those were in intensive care, the Ministry of Health confirmed today.

The number of confirmed cases of swine flu was now 1195, up from 1059 yesterday, she said.

Three people have died from the illness in New Zealand.

From today, the Ministry of Health would provide a weekly snapshot giving a fuller picture of the extent of swine flu, deputy director of public health Dr Fran McGrath said today.

That would provide a more accurate picture of the impact of the flu and its impact on health services.

"There are still many things we don't know about this virus. What we do know is that people who have other significant health issues are more likely to be seriously affected by swine flu."

But it was important to remember that overseas experience showed that some previously healthy people could also develop a serious illness, Dr McGrath said.

Prime Minister John Key said yesterday that the Government had ordered a stockpile of a new swine flu vaccine for emergency workers as an insurance measure.

The Government had ordered 300,000 doses of a vaccine from Baxter Healthcare - enough to give 150,000 the required two doses.

It would be delivered within a month.

- NZPA