MANILA, 24 June 2009, 1600 hrs—A 35-year-old man from the state of Victoria became Australia's second fatality related to Pandemic H1N1 2009, as neighbouring New Zealand said it expects that the number of its citizens ill from the virus would increase. Also, Vanuatu reported its first two confirmed cases and has put on alert its surveillance system at hospitals and other health-care facilities.
The deceased Australian man, from Colac in western Victoria, had a range of significant underlying health issues in addition to being positive for Pandemic H1N1 2009. He is believed to have died from respiratory failure on 20 June after being transferred to an intensive care unit. Australia reported 124 new laboratory-confirmed cases of Pandemic H1N1 2009 since the last reporting period and now has a total of 2857 infections. Eighteen of these cases are currently hospitalized, with five of them in intensive care.
New Zealand reported 61 new cases as health authorities in that country said that though some patients would become seriously ill and require medical attention, the majority would not develop into severe illness. "We are still unsure when the outbreak of swine flu (Pandemic H1N1 2009) will peak," said Dr Fran McGrath, deputy director of public health. "What we do know though is that for most people, swine flu is a mild to moderate illness and for the most part, people will be able to care for themselves at home and not need medical care."
Singapore, which reported 52 new cases, has converted two more resorts into quarantine quarters for those with Pandemic H1N1 2009, local media reported, citing a National Development Ministry spokesman. This increases the number of rooms set aside for quarantine purposes to more than 200.
After the detection of its first two cases, Vanuatu is shifting its efforts from containment to mitigation to ensure early identification and appropriate treatment of new cases. People who have travelled recently to an affected area have been strongly advised to seek medical care immediately if they start showing severe symptoms, or to quarantine themselves at home if they show influenza-like symptoms.
China reported 112 new cases, while 43 new cases were identified in Japan, 10 in Malaysia, four in Viet Nam, three in Brunei Darussalam, and one in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
The number of confirmed cases of Pandemic H1N1 2009 in the Western Pacific Region is now 5929 in 15 countries and areas, with three associated deaths.
- Australia 2857
- Brunei Darussalam 7
- China 490
- Hong Kong (China) 408
- Macao (China) 8
- Taiwan (China) 32
- Fiji 2
- Japan 893
- Lao People's Democratic Republic 3
- Malaysia 68
- New Zealand 364
- Papua New Guinea 1
- Philippines 428
- Republic of Korea 115
- Samoa 1
- Singapore 194
- Vanuatu 2
- Viet Nam 56
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