Two cleared of swine flu, four confirmed

Health officials are relieved two people suspected of suffering swine flu who arrived in New Zealand before last Saturday, have been cleared.

The latest tests from the World Health Organisation laboratories in Melbourne have confirmed another case of the virus, bringing New Zealand's total number of confirmed cases to four. The number of probable cases of swine flu now stands at 12 and there are 116 suspected cases.

All of the confirmed cases arrived on the NZ1 flight last Saturday.

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Jacobs says the good news is that two people who were thought to be probable cases and who arrived earlier have now been cleared. He says if it had turned out there had been undetected cases in the community for a longer period of time, there would be a higher possibility the infection had spread.

Dr Jacobs says while the number of confirmed cases in New Zealand might be expected to rise, the number of suspected or probable cases could go either way.

St John Ambulance is preparing to provide operational support during the swine flu outbreak.

New Zealand is operating at a Code Yellow status as part of the Influenza Pandemic Action Plan, which means the ambulance service is in a planning and preparedness phase.

Operations spokesman Andrew Cratchley says staff in communications centres have been briefed with extra questions to ask callers.

"When people ring in and they have flu-like symptoms we have additional questions to ask, if those people have travelled abroad for example or been in contact with people who have travelled abroad."

The World Health Organisation alert level is one step away from its highest level.

- Newstalk ZB