Changed message from Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health is concerned at the increase in the number of people who are being hospitalised with H1N1 Swine Flu.

Schools and early childhood services are generally the first places where changes to patterns in community infection appear. To closely monitor numbers of cases, the Ministry of Health has asked that you contact your local DHB if:

• the numbers of absences because of illness are significantly above those you would normally expect from seasonal flu at this time of year.
• you think there is something unusual about the rate or nature of illness.