Victoria is in isolation over swine flu pandemic

CHILDREN returning from Melbourne have been advised to stay in home quarantine for seven days to help stop the spread of swine flu in South Australia.

The warning comes after the number of people affected in Victoria surged to 521, forcing the state to upgrade its swine flu alert to "sustain".

State Health Minister John Hill also recommended that all school sporting and other trips to Melbourne be postponed. At this stage, the isolation advice is only for people returning from Melbourne and not from country Victoria.

"We are trying to contain the spread . . . it has reached such a level in Victoria that they no longer believe they can manage it in that way," Mr Hill said.

"In addition to our recommendation that children returning from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan and Panama remain at home for seven days, we are also recommending that schoolchildren and children in childcare and kindergarten who return from Melbourne should stay in home isolation for seven days."

Mr Hill said while the advice applied only to children, adults who were returning from the "hot spots" should isolate themselves if they have flu-like symptoms.

"Our advice is that it spreads much more quickly among children," he said.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• victoria
• melbourne
• australia
• swine
• flu
• control
• cold
• sick

[MUNCHLAXSNORLAX22]

It's appropriate how the ministers of states around Victoria have taken these measures. Even though people will say it will spread anyway or that it is just a simple flu. It's still not appropriate to dismiss, it has demonstrated potential out of Australia and that is why it is being taken so seriously. The Victorian Premier's opinion is what is concerning. If Swine Flue numbers dramtically rise, it can cause panic and can cost a lot in economic terms. It can also impact us internationally.

[jupjupz]

I think you miss the point of this story...

Other states around australia are trying to isolate victorian to stop the spread of swine flu and victoria is saying thats a bit extreme..

.......

[MUNCHLAXSNORLAX22]

Victoria can say it's extreme, I think so too, but the way it has spread into so many people in Victoria demonstrates how it can do the same to other states. Even Singapore has warned tourists going to Victoria, they are just as cautious as Au states. They aren't just being extreme to us, I am sure they are keeping a very close eye on us too. Countries and states are tracking the flu's progress in Victoria by my understanding. It's something they don't like to see happening near them I am sure.

[jupjupz]

Dude, its no worse than a typical flu that usually hits countries during the flu season...

Not one australian has died from it..

I think its extreme as the flu isnt even deadly...

why dont they do this with regular influenza???

because its not a threat :P

[RadioTrunews]

and of course we have this to come as we enter autumn and winter and seeing as it was bad here before you can bet chances are, cause it was summer then, gonna be twice as bad then, cue vaccines, oh dear, second wave eh, what they know that we don't.

[MUNCHLAXSNORLAX22]

If it's highly infectious and spreads so easily, then it could develop into something else quickly. So far it's just capable of spreading very fast. Remembering bird flu and now with flu that has something to with pigs, even though it hasn't killed anybody in Australia but has in Mexico. The way it is seems harmless, but see the point with this, it behaves like other flu but it's very new. So all of it's potential hasn't been fully verified into what it could become using people as it's hosts.

[loswaldo666]

The people who are writing this off as 'just a flu' are being inconsiderate of everyone else. Sure, for most the symptoms are currently mild, but there will be a small percentage of people who will get very ill and some that will die as a result of this. The tragedy is that this flu seems to hit people in an age range that are likely to be parents of young children. Is it really that much to ask for you to keep your kids home for seven days?