MANILA, 29 June 2009, 1600 hrs—Fatalities in Australia associated with Pandemic H1N1 2009 increased to seven in the reporting period to 29 June as the number of people infected with the virus in the Western Pacific climbed beyond 8800.
Australia's Department of Health and Ageing announced that two men aged 50 and 85 from the state of Victoria had died while infected with the virus. The 50-year-old was being treated for life-threatening cancer and was later diagnosed with Pandemic H1N1 2009. He died while receiving treatment in hospital. The 85-year-old man also had a range of underlying medical conditions which made him vulnerable to influenza infection, and was being treated in hospital. The only other fatality in the Western Pacific associated with the virus was that of a woman in the Philippines.
Of the seven deaths in Australia of people infected with the virus, five have been in Victoria, one in South Australia and one in Western Australia. In all cases the deceased had a range of other diseases. The number of confirmed cases of the virus in Australia rose by 180 in the reporting period to 29 June.
Hong Kong (China) announced the detection of 66 new cases, shortly after health authorities there announced they would no longer require isolation of mild cases of the virus in hospitals, as the virus was now the area's predominant strain of flu. On the Chinese mainland, 51 new cases were identified, while a further 2 were detected in Macao (China).
Singapore detected 145 additional cases, including three new clusters of infection. This prompted health authorities to reiterate public advisories that people exercise good hygiene practices such as covering the mouth with a tissue when coughing and sneezing. The unwell were urged to see a doctor and to stay away from work, school or crowded places. Brunei Darussalam confirmed 11 new cases, while 44 were announced in Malaysia, 16 in New Zealand, and 21 in the Republic of Korea.
The number of confirmed cases of Pandemic H1N1 2009 reported in the Western Pacific Region stands at 8834 in 19 countries and areas. There have been eight deaths associated with Pandemic H1N1 2009 in the Region, which are indicated in brackets beside the case numbers below.
- Australia 3857 (7)
- Brunei Darussalam 29
- Cambodia 6
- China 729
- Hong Kong (China) 695
- Macao (China) 18
- Taiwan (China) 61
- Fiji 2
- Japan 1049
- Lao People's Democratic Republic 3
- Malaysia 112
- New Zealand 523
- Papua New Guinea 1
- Philippines 861 (1)
- Republic of Korea 202
- Samoa 1
- Singapore 599
- Vanuatu 2
- Viet Nam 84
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