A group of NZ school children have been placed in quarantine and are being tested for swine flu after some fell ll with flu-like symptoms after returning from a school trip to Mexico.
The 22 students and three teachers from Rangitoto College, in Auckland, flew back into NZ, via Los Angeles on Saturday, having spent three weeks in Mexico.
According to NZ health authorities, 13 students and one teacher from the group are unwell, one student is in hospital and the others in home isolation.
Auckland Regional Public Health clinical director Dr Julia Peters said: "We are taking this very seriously and doing everything necessary to manage this situation in Auckland. The Ministry of Health is managing the response to this issue at a national level.''
The latest fears of an outbreak comes as governments around the world rush to check the spread of swine flu and the death toll in Mexico rose to 81.
The World Health Organization declared the flu a "public health event of international concern."
WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan urged greater worldwide surveillance for any unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness.
Mexico president Felipe Calderon said: "(We are) monitoring minute by minute the evolution of this problem across the whole country."
Argentina declared a health alert, requiring anyone arriving on flights from Mexico to advise if they had flu-like symptoms.
In Hong Kong and Japan, airports tightened checks on passengers arriving from Mexico. In Tokyo, with quarantine officials giving out face masks and using thermography imaging cameras to screen for passengers with a fever.
In Mexico city, nightclubs, cinemas and museums were closed and public events scrapped, from concerts to a running race. Sunday soccer matches were closed to spectators.
At least one bar stationed medics at its doors to check clients' throats and take their temperatures.
Locals hoarded bottled water and canned food, churchgoers were told to stay home and follow Sunday services on television and bewildered tourists were made to wear surgical face masks.
"It's all a bit alarming because as a tourist you don't know if you're going to be allowed home. It's worrying because there's not much information," said 29-year-old Sandy Itriago, waiting at a tour bus stop with her parents.
All schools in the city, Mexico State and San Luis Potosi were closed until May 6 and some companies planned to have employees work from home.
Source:The times
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