SA: Fourteen South Australians tested for swine flu

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2009
SA: Fourteen South Australians tested for swine flu

ADELAIDE, April 28 AAP - Fourteen South Australians, who had influenza-like symptoms
after travelling overseas, have been tested for the deadly swine flu virus.

An SA Health spokeswoman on Tuesday confirmed the 14 people, who ranged through from
primary school age to their early 60s, had been tested for the virus, which has so far
killed more than 150 people in Mexico.

There are yet to be any confirmed cases of the virus in Australia.

Two of the South Australians tested have been given the all clear, while the other
12 remain in home quarantine, the spokeswoman said.

The state's chief medical officer Paddy Phillips said there was a low possibility of
any of the tests returning a positive result for swine flu.

He said all South Australian hospitals were implementing procedures to triage potential
swine flu patients.

"And we have alerted all GPs to be on the lookout for potential cases," he said in
a statement released on Tuesday.

Professor Phillips urged members of the public to get flu vaccines to protect against
more common strains of influenza.

"The more people who are vaccinated and don't get seasonal flu, the less pressure there
will be on our health system," he said.

AAP lcs/ht

KEYWORD: FLU SA

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