Swine flu cases double to 67 nationwide
Australians have been warned to brace for a rapid rise in the number of swine flu cases in the next few days.
There were 67 confirmed cases in Australia on Wednesday evening, double the day before but federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the majority displayed relatively mild symptoms compared to the regular winter flu.
"People who are treated quickly with antivirals are making a very speedy recovery," Ms Roxon told reporters in Canberra.
Victoria had the highest number of cases with 34 confirmed, while there were 18 in NSW, three in South Australia, eight in Queensland, three in the ACT and one in WA.
The federal government began running television advertisements from Wednesday night advising the public on ways to avoid the disease, including tips on basic cleanliness and what to do in case of cold or flu symptoms.
Australia's largest employer group, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has called on employers to be aware of their responsibilities in helping to prevent the spread of the disease by limiting risk to their employees.
The commonwealth chief medical officer Professor Jim Bishop said there had been little variation in the mildness of the symptoms of the confirmed swine flu, or influenza A(H1N1), cases in Australia.
Prof Bishop said because of the delay in swine flu reaching Australia, health authorities had been given a "head start" in preparations to deal with the outbreak, unlike in the US which was "blind-sided".
"We've got an opportunity now to substantially modify the disease which we have been able to do now because we are a month down the track compared to other countries," Prof Bishop told reporters.
"As we jump on each case and give them Tamiflu, then we reduce the infectivity."
Prof Bishop said authorities faced a marathon rather than a sprint in terms of treating each case as it arises, with Tamiflu, as well as treating the patient's close contacts.
He said that, based on the US and Mexican experiences, the "hard edge" swine flu cases tended to affect young children, pregnant women, people with respiratory illnesses, diabetics and people with gross obesity.
"We think we can do better now. Time will tell, but that's our job," Prof Bishop said.
Despite the expected rapid rise in the number of cases, Ms Roxon said Australia remained at the "contain" stage of managing the disease and that there was no need for public alarm or panic.
However, she said, the number of cases would rise "significantly" in the next 24 to 48 hours, consistent with patterns seen in Japan, Canada and Britain.
"Unlike the normal seasonal flu, however, we do know that the swine flu has a quite hard edge to it, that is, a small proportion of cases can be much more severe," Ms Roxon said.
Public concern about the disease increased dramatically on Tuesday with the Health Department telephone hotline - 180 2007 - reporting about 1,500 calls.
Ms Roxon said no one was sure what was likely to happen if strains of the swine flu and regular winter flu combined and mutated.
"No one is entirely sure what consequences that will have for the potential for those two flus to combine or for one or the other to be the one that dominates," she said.
ACCI chief executive Peter Anderson said businesses should develop plans and mitigation measures to deal with potential disruption due to swine flu.
"Importantly, under occupational health and safety laws, all employers owe a duty of care to their staff and should have protocols in place to minimise potential harm to both staff and the public," Mr Anderson said in a statement.
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