Ministerial Statement

SWINE FLU

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:01): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I seek to update the house on the latest information from South Australian authorities in regard to swine flu. Yesterday, the state's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paddy Phillips, advised that 12 South Australians were being tested for swine flu. These people had recently travelled in the United States and/or Mexico and had returned to Adelaide with flu-like symptoms. Following further investigation, five of these people have been cleared. Seven people are still currently under investigation. Results should be received over coming days for these people who will remain at home until they are cleared of the illness, and I thank them for their cooperation.

Meanwhile, commonwealth authorities last night alerted SA Health that an overseas student living in Adelaide may have been exposed to swine flu while travelling overseas. The student had travelled to New Zealand on the same flight that transported three New Zealanders who have since been confirmed as having contracted swine flu. The student subsequently travelled on to Adelaide. She was located this morning. She is well and shows no symptoms of flu. Authorities have given her a course of anti-viral medication as a precautionary measure.

Overnight, the commonwealth has declared swine influenza a quarantinable disease in humans under the Quarantine Act 1908. This action was taken by the commonwealth on the advice of Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Jim Bishop. This gives the commonwealth powers under the act to take appropriate actions in an emergency to prevent or control the spread of a disease. It also gives South Australian health authorities the same powers to ensure that people comply with any quarantine measures.

According to the World Health Organisation, the United States government has reported 64 laboratory confirmed human cases, with no deaths. The World Health Organisation reports that Mexico has 33 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 20 confirmed deaths from swine flu. Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Israel and Spain have reported laboratory confirmed cases, with no deaths. Person-to-person transmission is not currently reported outside of the Americas.

The World Health Organisation is advising people who are ill to delay international travel and for people who develop flu-like symptoms following international travel to seek medical attention. SA Health is advising people to have a flu shot and recommend key hygiene measures such as washing hands and covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough.

I point out that the flu shots that we are delivering will not protect people against swine flu; however, if people do have those shots, they will be protected against the more likely outcome of getting the ordinary seasonal flu and, of course, that will help ensure that their system is protected if swine flu were to come into South Australia.

The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has a national hotline for Australians to access information on the overseas outbreak. That number is 180 2007.