Australia's H1N1 flu cases up to 3

May 20 2009

Australia's recorded cases of the new H1N1 flu (Swine flu) has now reached 3 with the confirmation of two new cases.

Victorian health officials say a 9-year-old Melbourne boy has tested positive after returning from Los Angeles on May 12th, he was not ill enough to be hospitalized and is recovering at home.

However officials say, based on what is known about this form of influenza, they believe he was not infectious when he returned to Australia on May 12th.

Victoria state Health Minister Daniel Andrews says the child's symptoms appeared on Monday and he was not ill enough to need hospitalisation and is recovering at home.

A Sydney woman has also been confirmed as one of Australia's latest swine flu victims and her travel companion is also under suspicion as she also had flu-like symptoms.

The pair could have infected up to 13 people from NSW and other states with whom they were in close proximity when they shared a flight from the United States.

Both women have been treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

Australia's first case, announced last week, was a 28-year-old NSW woman who flew into Brisbane from Los Angeles on May 7th - she has since recovered.

The infections are believed to be unrelated, with all three suspected of contracting the disease overseas.

Health authorities have warned that Australia can expect more cases given the extent of the spread of the H1N1 flu virus worldwide.

According to the federal health department 19 people are undergoing initial testing for H1N1 flu but none had yet that had tested positive to influenza A - the group of viruses from which the H1N1 swine flu comes.

The World Health Organisation says as of yesterday the 19th of May , 40 countries have officially reported 9,830 cases of influenza A(H1N1), including 79 deaths.

The vast majority of H1N1 cases are in Mexico and the United States and in most of the fatal cases underlying health issues or serious medical conditions existed.

The WHO pandemic remains at alert level 5 on a 6-level scale.