Questions raised over Australia's first swine flu related death

Jun 21 2009

According to the latest update (51) on the swine flu pandemic (influenza A H1N1), from the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of the 19th of June 2009 there have now been 44,287 laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide and 180 deaths.

The United States remains top of the list with 17,855 cases and 44 deaths followed by Mexico with 7,624 cases and 113 deaths, Canada with 4,905 cases and 12 deaths, Chile with 3,125 cases and 2 deaths and Australia with 2,199 cases.

Australia's first swine flu related death has occurred in a remote aboriginal community and health officials say the death demonstrates the wide gap between health standards between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

The 26-year-old indigenous man from the remote Kurrikurra community in Western Australia who died after reportedly contracting swine flu was apparently in poor health with a number of serious medical conditions - anti-viral medication is being provided to the remote community made up of 150 - 200 people but the town has not been placed in quarantine.

While he appears to have become Australia's first swine flu victim, his death has raised some questions. South Australia's chief medical officer Paddy Phillips says the 26-year-old was already a sick man and he would be surprised if swine flu was the cause of his death.

The man was apparently suffering from pneumonia and was flown 700 kilometres from his community to Alice Springs Hospital, then later transferred to the Royal Adelaide hospital where he reportedly tested positive for swine flu - however exactly where and when he contracted the virus, remains unclear.

Dr. Brad Murphy, who heads the national standing committee on Aboriginal health for the Royal Australian College of GP, says the death highlights the importance of closing the gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says as Australia is now in the protect phase, swine flu health efforts are focusing on protecting those most vulnerable and the death of the aboriginal man has also prompted a warning from World Health Organisation expert Professor John Mackenzie, that Aboriginal people are at serious risk from swine flu.

Professor Mackenzie, from WHO's international health regulations committee, says it is inevitable that more Australians will die from the virus and Aboriginal people were more at risk because of the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic diseases among them which means the virus poses a greater threat.