Swine flu scare for UCOL

A Whanganui UCOL tutor who was on flight NZ1 with swine flu-hit Rangitoto College students is under quarantine at home waiting for results from a World Health Organisation laboratory in Melbourne. UCOL principal Julia Pedley said they were monitoring the situation closely after the tutor made a brief visit to the Whanganui campus on Monday.
The staff member who had been on a trip to North America had mild symptoms of influenza and was on a course of Tamiflu while at home, Mrs Pedley said.
Three other Wanganui people who returned from the United States in the past week are being closely monitored by local health authorities for signs of the deadly swine flu.
The trio had all developed flu-like symptoms and that was worrying, said Wanganui's medical officer of health, Dr Patrick O'Connor.
Authorities are monitoring all travellers from North America because Mexico is the epicentre of the swine flu outbreak.
Groups of school students from Auckland schools, including Rangitoto College, had visited Mexico and some student had since developed flu symptoms.
On Tuesday night, three Rangitoto students were found to have tested positive for swine flu.
At UCOL, Mrs Pedley said the business continuance team continued to monitor the situation.
"We want to reassure everyone that UCOL has taken all steps recommended by the Ministry of Health."
Dr O'Connor said Wanganui Public Health was taking swine flu "very seriously".
He said 14 travellers had returned to the Wanganui region from the US but the latest four they found out about did not arrive on the same flight - NZ1 - from Los Angeles last Saturday.
And not all four people were travelling together. They are from the Taihape area and initially appeared on the MidCentral Health Board's register.
Their care has now been transferred to the Whanganui DHB.
He said swabs had been taken from three of the four because they were showing signs of an influenza-type illness. Those test results are expected within the next 24-48 hours. The fourth person was not showing similar symptoms.
"If the test results come back as positive for Influenza A then the swabs will be sent to Melbourne for further testing to determine whether they have the swine flu virus," Dr O'Connor said.
On Tuesday the Chronicle reported that a family of three were in quarantine. Yesterday, we reported that six more people who had returned from North America were located. The lethal swine flu can take on average between four to seven days to appear.