NZ - 35 deaths from A/H1N1

[DazzaMc]

NZ - 11th person confirmed with swine flu dies

11th person confirmed with swine flu dies

A child with underlying medical conditions has become the latest person to die from swine flu in New Zealand.

The Ministry of Health says the child died within the past week in the MidCentral District Health Board region centred on Palmerston North.

The death takes the total number of deaths from swine flu in New Zealand to 11.

The ministry says there has also been a spike in the number of people seeing their family doctor for influenza-related illnesses, especially children and teenagers.

South Auckland, Wellington and South Canterbury are hardest hit.

There are 74 people in hospital with swine flu or its complications, 26 of whom are in intensive care.

Meanwhile, health authorities say they are prepared for a possible increase in swine flu cases which the Health Ministry says could happen as a result of children returning to school from holidays this week.

However, hospitals are also warning that surgery and scheduled appointments might be cancelled at short notice, as the virus puts increasing pressure on services.

Health officials are advising parents to keep their children at home after the holidays if they are displaying flu-like symptoms and teachers are being told to stay away if they are ill.

Deputy director of public health Fran McGrath says children who have flu-like symptoms should stay at home until they are well and are no longer coughing or sneezing.

Dr McGrath says staying away will help slow the spread of the virus in the community and allow both schools and health services to better manage the impact of the flu pandemic.

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Jacobs says studies overseas indicate school holidays slow the spread of influenza viruses, though health officials have no idea if that has happened in New Zealand.

More flu centres for Canterbury
Two more flu centres have opened in Canterbury to cope with the increasing demand for swine flu treatment.

The Canterbury District Health Board says the new services will be based in Rangiora and Rolleston and staffed by local doctors and nurses.

The opening of the new centres has been prompted by a rise in the number of out-of-town patients coming into Central Flu Centre in Christchurch.

Head of the Canterbury Primary Pandemic Group Dr Phil Schroeder says increasing numbers of patients are coming into town from the Selwyn and Waimakariri districts, and it makes sense to open local centres for them.

A total of 176 people went to the Central Flu Centre over the weekend and two patients confirmed as having the virus are in Christchurch Hospital's intensive care unit.

Measles also likely to spread
In Canterbury, where there has also been an outbreak of measles, Medical Officer of Health Dr Cheryl Brunton says schools provide the possibility of widespread transmission, especially since the illness is infectious a day before symptoms appear.

Since the beginning of June, 47 cases of measles have emerged in Canterbury, more than all cases of measles in New Zealand last year.

Dr Brunton says infected children will have travelled during the school holidays and measles cases may start appearing in other regions soon.

Measles incubates for up to 21 days, she says.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/07/20/1245bc3b6bdd

[Shiloh]

Re: NZ - 11 deaths from A/H1N1v

We were missing #6 so this is it:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/2582404/Swine-flu-death-at-Middlemore

Swine flu death at Middlemore
Last updated 10:24 10/07/2009


New Zealand's swine flu death toll has risen to six after a woman with the virus died at Middlemore Hospital on Wednesday.

The Counties Manukau District Health Board has confirmed the woman, who had underlying health problems, had tested positive to Influenza A (H1N1).

The health board is not releasing any further details about the case.

The Ministry of Health's Dr Sandy Dawson says for most people who get influenza this winter, it will only be a mild to moderate illness and they will recover at home withouneeding medical treatment.

"The deaths announced over the past few days show how quickly complications can arise in those with known risk factors and the need to monitor people's conditions very closely."

Symptoms which may require further medical advice include difficulty breathing or chest pain, a high temperature, drowsiness, severe vomiting or a cough with blood or green phlegm.

Dr Dawson says for advises people whose flu symptoms get worse to phone their GP or Healthline on phone: 0800-611-116.

More information about symptoms which require medical advice is also on the Ministry of Health's website: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/index...n1-care-advice.

There can be some delays for people ringing Healthline but people who have symptoms and need advice should continue to wait until their calls are answered.


Also this for update to when it was nine: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2593...-rises-to-nine

Swine flu death toll rises to nine
113 patients in hospital, 23 in intensive care
Last updated 17:48 14/07/2009

Swine flu now 'unstoppable' Flu kills 'perfectly healthy' six-year-old
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The number of swine flu deaths in New Zealand has risen to nine after two more deaths were confirmed in the Wellington region.

A 56-year-old man died in Wellington and a 79-year-old woman died in the Hutt Valley last week, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to nine, the Ministry of Health said today.

Both had underlying health conditions.

[Shiloh]

Re: NZ - 11 deaths from A/H1N1v

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/swine-f...l-rises-to-ten

Last updated 16:44 16/07/2009
Swine flu death toll rises to ten

A 10th person has died of swine flu, the Ministry of Health says.

The latest death was a Gisborne man in his 40s with serious underlying medical conditions.

The two previous deaths were a 56-year-old man in Wellington and a 79-year-old woman in the Hutt Valley last week. Both also had underlying health conditions.

The ministry today said pregnant women with flu symptoms should call their GP or Healthline on 0800 611 116.

Overseas, pregnant women had been suffering severe cases of the virus and they were at greater risk of complications, including pneumonia.

Deputy director of public health Darren Hunt said pregnant women should not take any antiviral medication without consulting their doctor.

The doctor would assess the risks of prescribing Tamiflu or Relenza on an individual basis, and may need to seek advice from an infectious diseases specialist or obstetrician.

The total number of confirmed cases of swine flu in New Zealand has risen, with the ministry recording 2107 cases, up from 2025 yesterday.

The Ministry of Health said the actual number of cases would be significantly higher as only a small proportion of people were being tested, as most people were able to recover at home without medical treatment.

On Tuesday, a total of 113 people were in hospital with swine flu or complications stemming from the virus, with 23 of them in intensive care.

The World Health Organisation is no longer issuing tables with confirmed numbers of cases for all countries because of difficulties testing the increasing number of cases.

Source: http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/article/?id=13029

17 Jul, 2009
Swine flu is blamed for death
Jessica Wauchop
SWINE flu has been confirmed as the cause of death of Gisborne man Darrell Light, who died on Tuesday in Gisborne Hospital’s intensive care unit.

Mr Light, 49, had serious underlying medical conditions.

The Ministry of Health says his death brings the number of deaths from influenza A (H1N1) swine flu in New Zealand to 10.

A family spokesman contacted The Gisborne Herald yesterday to make sure people knew how dangerous swine flu could be.

“Darrell was a die-hard follower of swine flu information because he knew if he got it, he couldn’t beat it. He knew it could take him and it did take him,” he said.

“He died a very uncomfortable death. He was having panic attacks . . . our brother was very sick but he wasn’t that bad,” he said.

“We were in the process of getting him into physio and back out into the community when he got sick on Thursday because he had picked up the flu.”

It was thought he contracted the virus from a family member, the spokesman said.

“He took a turn and deteriorated on Saturday morning and that’s when we called an ambulance.

“He did have an underlying problem and an infection, but the swine flu was the final straw for him. That is exactly what we were told by doctors.”

The spokesman said the family were angry they had turned their brother’s ventilator off without knowing his deterioration was due to swine flu.

“We think the hospital should have let us keep him on the ventilator for another day-and-a-half while we waited for results.”

Many of the extended whanau are sick and being treated with Tamiflu. They have been tested for the H1N1 virus and expect their results back on Saturday.

The family expressed concerns about people they had been in contact with before test results confirmed swine flu.

Other family members with serious underlying medical conditions had been in contact with those who had since developed flu-like symptoms, he said.

“Now we are really worried about them. Since Darrell’s death, we have been in contact with 40 to 50 people and we don’t want those people to be taking that lightly.

“We are worried not every precaution was taken to prevent the spread of the virus. There needs to be more serious follow up on the virus, for the community’s sake,” he said.

When contacted on Wednesday morning, Tairawhiti District Health chief executive Jim Green said Mr Light died with swine flu, not because of it.

There was a consistent pattern around the world that people with underlying conditions were more susceptible to swine flu, said Mr Green.

“In terms of other members of family possibly being infected with the virus, there is a chance. But at the same time, H1N1 remains a mild illness for the vast majority.

“However, there is still very good reason to take precautions to reduce spread. It is the same messages — wash your hands, cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and stay at home if you are ill.”

[Shiloh]

Re: NZ - 14 deaths from A/H1N1

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/storie...7/1245bca65552


People heed warnings to stay away from GP rooms

Updated at 7:27am on 27 July 2009

People appear to be staying away from doctors' waiting rooms as the swine flu pandemic deepens.

General Practice surgeries in centres such as Christchurch, which has a specialist flu clinic, say they are quieter than usual for this time of year.

The Royal College of GPs says people are heeding advice to telephone the surgery or Healthline for information.

President Jonathan Fox says some busier surgeries are not calling people in for routine work, such as cervical smears, to free-up their capacity for urgent swine flu cases.

Hospitals are also delaying non-urgent surgery, which Dr Fox warns will create bottlenecks in coming months.
NZ death total

The Chief Coroner's office says 14 people have so far died from swine flu in New Zealand and it's waiting for the results of virology tests over a further 11 deaths.

The office has confirmed that among those is an Invercargill electrician, aged 27, whose relatives say was the first otherwise healthy person to have died from swine flu.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed only 11 deaths - all of whom were people with underlying health conditions such as obesity or diabetes.

As of Friday, there were 2585 cases confirmed by laboratory tests, but the actual numbers are believed to be far higher because testing is done only in severe cases.

The World Health Organisation said on Friday it's only a matter of time before the pandemic, which began in March, affects every country.

[Shiloh]

Re: NZ - 14 deaths from A/H1N1

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10586991

NZ swine flu death confirmed
New 7:00PM Monday Jul 27, 2009


A woman who died earlier this month in Middlemore Hospital in Auckland was killed by swine flu, the Ministry of Health says.

Her death brought the number of people to die from the pandemic in New Zealand to 12, according to the Ministry of Health.

The Coroner's office reported 14 people had died of swine flu.

The Ministry of Health had reported almost another 100 confirmed infections since Friday, bringing the number of cases to 2662 from 2585.

The ministry's deputy director of public health Fran McGrath said the coroner's figure included some deaths where a person tested positive to H1N1, but the cause of death had not yet been confirmed.

The World Health Organisation was no longer issuing tables tallying the total number of infected people, due to the rapidly increasing numbers of cases, Dr McGrath said.

- NZPA

[FrenchieGirl]

Re: NZ - 14 deaths from A/H1N1

Another swine flu death

03/08/2009 16:20:01

The number of people who have died while suffering from swine flu has risen to 14.

The latest death is of a man in his 50s, who died in Christchurch last week. He had a number of underlying medical conditions.

This week marks 100 days of action to slow the spread of swine flu in New Zealand. The virus was first identified on April 25, in a group of Auckland students who had just returned from Mexico.

Across the country there are 2,855 confirmed cases of H1N1, up from 2,810 yesterday.

[GennieF]

Three die of swine flu

Three die of swine flu

By Edith Schofield on Tue, 18 Aug 2009

Swine flu has been confirmed as the cause of death for one person in Otago and two in Southland, Dunedin coroner David Crerar says.

Mr Crerar would not give any further details about the deaths or say where they occurred, but one was an Invercargill man who died in Auckland.

Deaths due to other viruses, such as seasonal flu, were not usually reported through the media, and he saw no reason to breach normal confidentiality.

"I prefer not to be specific over deaths like this.

"They are natural deaths," he said.

"There has not been an alarming increase in the number of deaths."

The person who died in Otago did not have other underlying medical conditions, to his knowledge.

Swine flu was being investigated in "several" other deaths.

It was tested for whenever somebody died of a viral illness, Mr Crerar said.

Nationally, the Ministry of Health has reported 14 deaths from swine flu and said other deaths were being investigated by the Office of the Chief Coroner.

More than 3000 people have been confirmed as having the virus.

However, that would only be a small proportion of those with swine flu, because most people were not tested.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/70183/three-die-swine-flu

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - 14 deaths from A/H1N1

A Dunedin woman has become the 15th person to die in New Zealand from swine flu.

The Ministry of Health says the 30-year-old had no underlying medical conditions and died on Sunday.

The ministry says the number of people going to the doctor with flu continues to fall, providing further indication that the swine flu pandemic is abating.

There are 20 people in hospital with swine flu or its complications, 11 of whom are in intensive care and nine in general wards.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/08/18/1245c2150e08

[Shiloh]

Re: NZ - 16 deaths from A/H1N1

Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/storie...5/1245c27e3761

Death toll from swine flu reaches 16

Updated at 9:50am on 25 August 2009

The death of a Waikato woman has taken the national death toll from swine flu to 16.

She had underlying medical conditions and died at a hospital in Auckland late last week.

The case was reported by the Ministry of Health, which says the family has requested privacy.

Some 132 people have died of swine flu in Australia, where there are still 104 people in intensive care with the virus.

Eleven people were in intensive care in New Zealand at the last Health Ministry tally, early last week.

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - 16 deaths from A/H1N1

A man in his 50s is seriously ill in Wellington Hospital's intensive care unit with complications from swine flu.

The man, who is believed to have had no prior underlying health problems, was admitted on Friday and was in a "serious but stable" condition last night, Capital and Coast District Health Board said.

The Dominion Post understands he is in an induced coma and on dialysis for kidney failure.

Twenty-seven New Zealanders with the virus have died and the Health Ministry confirmed swine flu was the primary cause of death in 16 cases so far.

The coroner is investigating the deaths of another 11 people suspected to have the virus.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/2798855/Man-in-his-50s-seriously-ill-with-swine-flu

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - 16 deaths from A/H1N1

17th death related to swine flu confirmed

<!-- UID: 8e17b483e2807d707113d23bf0898243886a9afa AID: 2050847 C: 2009-08-31 18:52:31 U: 2009-08-31 18:53:01 P: 2009-08-31 19:19:29 --> Updated at 6:53pm on 31 August 2009
The number of deaths in New Zealand linked to swine flu now stands at 17.
The Ministry of Health says a man, aged in his 30s, died in Auckland on Sunday. It says he had an underlying medical condition.
The ministry says the 17 deaths reported are those where swine flu was a primary cause of death.
Other deaths are being investigated by the Coroner's office.

[Tonka]

Re: NZ - 17 deaths from A/H1N1

http://www.canada.com/health/Latest+swine+victim+identified/1980274/story.html

Latest swine flu victim identified

By Sherri Zickefoose, Calgary HeraldSeptember 10, 2009

The New Zealand man who died of H1N1 influenza while in Calgary at WorldSkills has been identified.

Paul William Hartigan, 41, of New Plymouth, arrived in Calgary to support step-daughter Kirsty Lister, an army steward who competed in restaurant service, according to The Taranaki Daily News newspaper.

He died Thursday.

His wife, Roslyn, is in quarantine, the newspaper reports.

Hartigan is believed to have been suffering flu symptoms before arriving in Calgary. He began showing symptoms once in Canada and was admitted to a hospital on Tuesday, only to die of the illness two days later.

It can take up to a week for a patient to begin showing flu symptoms.

Many of the individuals to die from H1N1 have had some sort of pre-existing medical condition.

In the wake of Hartigan's death, New Zealand's deputy director of public health is calling on Alberta health officials to continue monitoring for flu symptoms before hundreds of WorldSkills competitors begin boarding flights for home.

Lister was initially quarantined after her stepfather's death as a precaution. She has not shown symptoms of illness, but withdrew from her event.

Hartigan was reported to be a runner who competed in marthons with his wife, according to the newspaper.

The New Zealand man is the eighth person with H1N1 to die in Alberta since it appeared earlier this year. The virus has infected more than 1,600 people in the province and Alberta Health expects a resurgence of cases as fall approaches.

In New Zealand, where the winter flu season is wrapping up, health officials are reporting 3,145 confirmed H1N1 cases and 17 deaths from the virus.

&#169; Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ - 17 deaths from A/H1N1

An Auckland woman has died from swine flu this week, taking the death toll from the virus in New Zealand to 18.
The Health Ministry says the 67-year-old did not have the underlying health conditions normally associated with severe illness from swine flu.
The ministry says two people are still in hospital with swine flu or its complications.
Health officials say doctors' visits and calls to Healthline are back to normal levels for the time of year. Announcements about swine flu on flights have been suspended.
Officials say the medicines regulator Medsafe has approved a two-year extension to the expiry dates on boxes of the antiviral drug Tamiflu, following similar moves overseas.
Australia, which began offering a free vaccine against swine flu on Wednesday, has had 77 new hospitalisations with the virus this week. The death toll from swine flu stands at 180.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/09/30/1245c8c1b584

[kiwibird]

Re: NZ - 19 deaths from A/H1N1

The total number of deaths in New Zealand attributed to swine flu is now 19 following a coroner's investigation of the September 21 death of a 35-year-old woman, with underlying medical conditions, in Waikato.

But the Ministry of Health expected the number to rise as the coroner completes investigations into a number of flu-related deaths over the last few months.

As at midday today there was no one in hospital with confirmed swine flu (H1N1) or its complications.

The outbreak among Japanese students in Christchurch served as a timely reminder, the ministry said.

Last weekend, some students among a group visiting from Japan developed influenza. Four students tested positive for swine flu and a number of others had influenza-like symptoms.

The ministry said it appeared that their illness originated in Japan.

Following treatment the group were all declared safe to travel and left New Zealand yesterday.

Levels of influenza activity were increasing in the northern hemisphere, and with international travel it was likely NZ would see further clusters of cases over coming months, the ministry said.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/6370580/swine-flu-deaths-in-nz-now-19/

[Shiloh]

Re: NZ - 20 deaths from A/H1N1

Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/health-news/swine-...-woman-3141252

Swine flu "eats away" at woman
Published: 8:23AM Friday November 13, 2009

Source: NZPA

A 43-year-old South Canterbury woman has died after being ravaged by swine flu for three months.

She was the third worst case of swine flu in the world, because of the damage the disease had caused her otherwise healthy body, according to an Auckland doctor who had been treating her.

She had also made medical and scientific history by surviving so long, he has told the Timaru Herald.

The Waimate mother-of-four had no other health conditions when she was admitted to hospital on August 8 with flu-like symptoms.

In her 14 weeks in hospital, she was transferred from Timaru to Christchurch to Auckland as doctors struggled to save her.

In the intensive care unit there, one lung started to fail and she was left with only half of the second lung functioning.

The woman started to respond to medication which helped her blood circulation and was cleared of swine flu but it had "eaten away at her organs", the source says.
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The family thought they were "on the home straight" but her condition deteriorated and she died at 10pm on Wednesday night.

New Zealand's official death toll from swine flu is now 20.