Kiwis on cruise ship holiday have swine flu

Arrivals at Auckland Airport were screened during the initial swine flu alert. Photo / Greg Bowker

Two New Zealanders holidaying in Australia have tested positive for swine flu.

The two had arrived in Sydney on the Pacific Sun company's Pacific Dawn cruise ship on Monday and were asked to self-quarantine at a hotel by New South Wales Health, a Holiday Inn spokesman said.

They checked into the Darling Harbour Holiday Inn but it was not until Thursday that tests confirmed they had swine flu. Masked health personnel took them away from the hotel yesterday, the spokesman said.

The officials, wearing gowns and surgical masks, drove into the hotel garage in a white van with tinted windows around 1pm (3pm NZT). They left minutes later, with hotel staff confirming the swine flu sufferers were in the van.

Intercontinental Hotels, which owns the Holiday Inn company, said the hotel was not told until last night that the guests were suspected of having swine flu and, by that time, they had tested positive.

Intercontinental Hotels Australia chief operating officer Bruce McKenzie could not confirm whether the guests adhered to the Government's requests to remain isolated at all times.

The hotel came under scrutiny after it was accused of evicting the guests, but Mr McKenzie said the hotel took appropriate steps once it was notified of their status by NSW Health. "I think it's our view that a hotel is not an appropriate place for the quarantining of confirmed sufferers of the H1N1 virus," he said.

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the pair had not requested its assistance.

Meanwhile, New Zealand port health officials are on "high alert" for any vessels reporting people with influenza symptoms. "All ships are required to notify any suspected cases of non-seasonal influenza A swine flu, which have occurred during the voyage," said deputy director of public health Dr Fran McGrath.

The Pacific Dawn, with 2500 passengers, was refused permission to dock and ordered to change course off the coast of Australia because three crew members had the illness.

Dr McGrath said the main cruise season in New Zealand was from October until April but a few short Pacific Island cruises operated by Pacific Sun sailed from Auckland between May and August. Pacific Dawn's sister ship, Dawn Princess, is to visit Auckland in July on a round-the-world voyage.

New Zealand health authorities usually check all cruise vessels the first time they visit each season to ensure they have appropriate protocols for recognising, treating, controlling and notifying illness on board.

The masters are told to notify cases of illness and any disease outbreaks that occur while the vessel is in New Zealand territorial waters.

- NZPA