9m doses of antiviral drugs on standby for flu pandemic
AUSTRALIA is in a good position to respond to the threat of the deadly swine flu that has killed 86 people in Mexico, says federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon.
Ms Roxon said Australia had a stockpile of almost 9 million doses of antiviral drugs including Relenza, which had proved to be effective overseas.
"With a situation like this we have to be able to act quickly and Australia is in a very good position to act quickly," she said.
She said the government's crisis health committee was meeting today to decide if new steps, such as screening incoming overseas passengers at airports, would be introduced.
"This is a very serious matter," she said.
"The World Health Organisation has declared it a public health emergency and that means it is of great concern across the world and here in Australia.
"People need to be alert - this is a significant health issue but one that Australia is very well placed to tackle."
Two Queensland women suspected of having swine flu were given the all-clear today.
A 50-year-old Gold Coast woman, who recently returned from the US, and a 30-year-old Brisbane woman, who returned from Mexico, gave negative nose and throat swabs.
Queensland Health's chief health officer Jeannette Young said measures were being taken to prevent any spread of the disease to Queensland.
"We are keeping a very close watching brief on what's going on overseas to work out what we need to do here," she said.
"I have put people on alert in Queensland to be prepared for anything.
"We are ready to activate border control measures should we be advised to do so by the Commonwealth."
NSW Health's director of communicable diseases Jeremy McAnulty said all precautions were being taken and the health system was preparing for whatever may occur.
He said a lot had been learned from the SARS outbreak six years ago and NSW Health was working to prepare itself should a similar emergency situation occur here.
"We don't know if this is a pandemic. We don't know what is going to happen with this, but we're being very vigilant," he said on ABC radio.
"There have been investments in stocks of various protective devices and anti-influenza medicines at both nationally and other levels of government.
"There has also been a lot of protocols put in place and resources available for health-care workers and others to know what to do."
AUSTRALIA is in a good position to respond to the threat of the deadly swine flu that has killed 86 people in Mexico, says federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon.
Ms Roxon said Australia had a stockpile of almost 9 million doses of antiviral drugs including Relenza, which had proved to be effective overseas.
"With a situation like this we have to be able to act quickly and Australia is in a very good position to act quickly," she said.
She said the government's crisis health committee was meeting today to decide if new steps, such as screening incoming overseas passengers at airports, would be introduced.
"This is a very serious matter," she said.
"The World Health Organisation has declared it a public health emergency and that means it is of great concern across the world and here in Australia.
"People need to be alert - this is a significant health issue but one that Australia is very well placed to tackle."
Two Queensland women suspected of having swine flu were given the all-clear today.
A 50-year-old Gold Coast woman, who recently returned from the US, and a 30-year-old Brisbane woman, who returned from Mexico, gave negative nose and throat swabs.
Queensland Health's chief health officer Jeannette Young said measures were being taken to prevent any spread of the disease to Queensland.
"We are keeping a very close watching brief on what's going on overseas to work out what we need to do here," she said.
"I have put people on alert in Queensland to be prepared for anything.
"We are ready to activate border control measures should we be advised to do so by the Commonwealth."
NSW Health's director of communicable diseases Jeremy McAnulty said all precautions were being taken and the health system was preparing for whatever may occur.
He said a lot had been learned from the SARS outbreak six years ago and NSW Health was working to prepare itself should a similar emergency situation occur here.
"We don't know if this is a pandemic. We don't know what is going to happen with this, but we're being very vigilant," he said on ABC radio.
"There have been investments in stocks of various protective devices and anti-influenza medicines at both nationally and other levels of government.
"There has also been a lot of protocols put in place and resources available for health-care workers and others to know what to do."