Swine flu cases in New Zealand doubled over the weekend so watch out for nasty bugs.
The drug companies reckon they’ll have a vaccine for it soon, with one of them estimating they’ll have commercial supplies ready by next month.
On top of that, the powers-that-be here in New Zealand are being pro-active, with the setting up of a swine flu-assessment centre in Wellington and more likely around the country.
The Health Ministry says the rise in infection numbers at the weekend (to 71 cases on Sunday) signals a new phase of the pandemic and the number of cases is expected to rise steeply.
The ministry’s response has been boosted to “phase six”, one of the highest health alert levels. This means officials can take radical measures, including declaring a national state of emergency, and restrictions can be placed on public gatherings, including sports events.
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