State Health Emergency Coordination Centre

• 16 pages
• For Official Use Only
• August 4, 2009

CURRENT SITUATION – QUEENSLAND

Metro North

• [03 August 2009] Prince Charles Hospital reported that the facility had three Extra- Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) stations in operation, all three of which were in use by patients with confirmed Pandemic (H1Nl) 2009.

Townsville

• [04 Jnl 09] Townsville HSD reported that dne to an increase in Pandemic (HlNl) 2009 related Emergency Department presentations, an Emergency Department annexe wonld open to fast track mild cases.

• [30 Jul 09] Townsville HSD reported a youth at Cleveland Detention Centre was displaying influenza like symptoms. The inmate was swabbed, isolated and commenced on Tamiflu, with ten further courses of Tamiflu supplied to the Centre’s nurse. Two further suspected cases have been swabbed, administered Tamiflu and isolated. On Tnesday, 04 Angnst 2009, Townsville HSD reported two positive cases of Pandemic (HlNl) 2009 at the facility.

Central Qneensland

• [03 Aug 09] Central Queensland HSD reported a total of eight confirmed of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.

• [31 Jul 2009] Longreach has now reported their second confirmed Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 case. The patients are one tourist and one local, and neither have required admission to hospital.

• [30 Jul 09] Central West Health Service District reported the district’s first confirmed case of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.

Torres Strait and Northern Peninsnla

• [04 Ang 09] Torres Straight HSD reported that the PNG/Anstralian border (for the purposes of the Torres Strait – PNG treaty) had been re-opened last Wednesday, 29 July 2009, at 0900 AEST.

• [03 Aug 09] Torres Straight HSD reported that a series of public meetings in island communities would soon begin, outlining the importance of hygiene, hand washing and flu infection prevention.

• [29 Jul 09] Extensive education regarding Pandemic (H1NI) 2009 is being distributed within the Bamaga Community on Wednesday, 29 July 2009, and to a further two outlying islands
on the 30 and 31 July 2009.

Cape York

• [03 Aug 09] Cape York HSD has assessed data of confirmed cases and it is apparent that communities in Cape York have community transmission of Pandemic (H1Nl) 2009. As such all of Cape York HSD will move to PROTECT on Monday, 3 August 2009. On Friday, 31 July 2009, the Cape York HSD advised that the Indigenous Community of Hopevale is moving to the PROTECT phase due to an increase of community transmission of the Pandemic (H1Nl) 2009 virus. Where relevant for those communities with low numbers of community transmission, sentinel surveillance mechanisms will continue to be implemented and early treatment institnted, especially for vulnerable groups.

• [03 Aug 09] Cape York HSD will receive the services of a temporary fly-in nurse to assist in the response to Pandemic (HIN1) 2009.

• [29 Jul 09] Cape York HSD is reporting the towns of Weipa and Cooktown moved from the CONTAIN phase to the PROTECT phase due to increased community transmission of the Pandemic (H1Nl) 2009 virus. Other outlying areas of the Cape York region (excepting Pormpuraaw) remain at the CONTAIN phase.

• [29 Jul 09] The Cape York HSD are reporting 82 confmned Pandemic CHlNI) 2009 cases across eight communities. To mitigate the impact of the virus on the communities, Queensland Health are undertaking media activities across the region, and letterbox drops in Weipa and Cooktown communities.

MouutIsa

• [04 Aug 09] Mt Isa HSD advised that effective Saturday, 01 August 2009, the whole of the Mt Isa Health Service District would move to PROTECT Phase.

• [03 Aug 2009] Mt Isa HSD has reported that the Mt Isa Population Health Unit and the Mt Isa City Council are liaising and in the process of producing various media for the public concerning Pandemic CHINI) 2009 at the forthcoming Mt Isa Rodeo.

• [31 Jul 2009] Rodeo 7-9 August expected to increase presentation at ED.

Cairus

• [29 Jul 09] Cairns Base Hospital has established a triage area at the entrance of the Emergency Department as of Tuesday, 28 July 2009. The area is staffed from 0700 to 2300 hours and is intended to section off an area for those who present with Influenza-Like Illness from other ED patients.

Recent Queensland Pandemic (HINl) 2009 Related Deaths

• [03 August 09] A 25 year old Pacific Islander male with a significant medical died within a few hours of presentation at Gold Coast Hospital. He presented with a three day history of febrile ILl associated with increasing dyspnoea. His death has since been verified as Queensland’s eleventh Pandemic CHINI) 2009 related fatality.

• [02 Aug 09] Queensland has reported its tenth Pandemic CHlNl) 2009 related death in a Townsville hospital of a 54 year old woman. The patient had underlying medical conditions.

• [31 luI 09] Queensland has reported its ninth Pandemic CHINI) 2009 related death in a Brisbane hospital of a 30 year old woman. The patient suffered multiple underlying medical conditions.

• [30 Jul 09] On Wednesday 29 July, Queensland reported it’s eighth Pandemic CHlNI) 2009 related death of a 58 year old male at Princess Alexandra Hospital. The patient had underlying medical conditions. This death was not reported in NIR SitRep #222.

• [29 Jul 09] Queensland has reported its seventh Pandemic CHINI) 2009 related death in an 82 year old female patient in Townsville. The patient suffered underlying medical conditions.

Flu Clinics

• [04 Aug 09] Mt Isa HSD reported that effective Saturday, 01 August 2009, Flu Clinics in Outpatient Departments were suspended. Presentations will be monitored through the Emergency Department and the clinic will re-open should nnmbers increase.

• [30 Jul 09] Darling Downs- West Moreton HSD reported that a flu clinic would open on Tuesday, 4 August 2009, in Toowoomba if the current level of emergency activity continues.

…

CURRENT SITUATION – INTERNATIONAL

[04 Aug 09] The Solomon Islands have reported their first confirmed case of Pandemic (HINI) 2009. The person was a member of the Regional Assistance Mission that had flown to the Solomon Islands from Brisbane Thursday, 30 July 2009. The confirmed case and a further twelve colleagues that had travelled on the same flight have been quarantined with one displaying symptoms of ILl. [ABC Radio Australia News, 4/8/09]

[31 Ju12009] On Friday, 31 July 2009, the WHO issued its Pandemic (HINI) 2009 Briefing Note 5- reporting on research conducted in the USA and published Wednesday, 29 July 2009. The WHO
advised that media have drawn attention to the increased risk of severe or fatal illness in pregnant women when infected with the HINI pandemic virus. Several other countries experiencing
widespread transmission of the pandemic virus have similarly reported an increased risk in pregnant women, particularly during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. An increased risk of foetal
death or spontaneous abortions in infected women has also been reported. [Pandemic (HINI) 2009 Briefmg Note 5, WHO, 31107/09]

[03 Aug 2009] On Monday, 27 July 2009, the WHO issued its Pandemic (HINI) 2009 – Update 59, advising that globally there had been 134,503 officially confirmed Pandemic (HINI) 2009 cases, and
816 related deaths. The update also advised that given countries are no longer required to test and report individual cases, the number of cases reported understates the actual number of cases. [Pandemic (HINI) 2009 Update 29, WHO, 27/07/09] For the full update, including a breakdown of case numbers by WHO region, go to: http://www.who.int/csr/donl2009 07 27/enlindex.html

[03 Aug 2009] On Monday, 24 July 2009, the WHO released Pandemic (HINI) 2009 Briefing Note 4 advising that the number of human cases of Pandemic (HI N 1) 2009 is still increasing substantially
in many countries, even in those countries that have been affected by Pandemic (HINI) 2009 for some time. [Pandemic (HINI) 2009 Briefing Note 4, 24/07/09] The WHO also stated that the average age of cases is increasing. For the full briefing note, go to: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflulnotes/hlnl pregnancy 2009073I/enlindex.htrnl

[03 Aug 2009] The New Zealand Ministry of Health are reporting a total of 2,855 confirmed Pandemic (HINI) 2009 cases in the country, and a total of 14 related deaths. The latest death is of a man in his 50s, who died in Christchurch last week. [Media Release, NZ Govt, 03/08/09]

[01 Aug 2009]. The New Zealand Capital & Coast District Health Board has reported that 100 out of 4,500 staff in the Wellington region had tested positive for Pandemic (HINI) 2009, about the same
number calling in sick as at this time last year. The hospital has given staff with symptoms the option of taking Tamiflu. [Dominion Post website 0 I Aug 2009]

[31 Ju12009] ECDC reported 2403 new cases, including 738 new cases from Germany, 705 from the UK and the first death in France were confirmed and reported from the EU and EFT A countries, reaching a total of26,424. [ECDC website 01 Aug 2009]

[31 Ju12009] Media in New Zealand are reporting that the 39 year-old woman who died of pandemic (HIN1) 2009 in Wellington Hospital this week was a front-line health worker at Hutt Hospital. Her death, described as being from rare complications, is the 13th to be officially recorded in New Zealand. [Dominion Post 31107/2009]

[30 July 2009] BBC News reported that the number of new Pandemic (HINI) 2009 infections in England has doubled in the past week according to the Government. There were an estimated 100,00 new cases, with the under 14′ s worst hit. [BBC News Website, 31107/2009]

…

Share this: