The Ministry of Health Pandemic Influenza technical working group met this week to review its state of preparedness in response to the reported second wave by Australia and New Zealand.
In a statement from the Health Ministry it states that later surges have been reported in Samoa and New Caledonia our neighbors in the Pacific.
Although the developed nations may now be seeing a reduction in the second wave, the Health Ministry said we are still seeing low levels of influenza in our National public health service as compared to the same period in the last 4 years.
However, at specific sector such as the private clinics, there is a reported high incidence of influenza like illness (ILI).
Furthermore the national notifiable disease surveillance system is also revealing a higher incidence of influenza like illness in the eastern group of islands amongst the primary age school children in the last month.
This follows the return of students and adults to the islands after the school holidays on the mainland.
Other issues of preparedness that the working group discussed were the progress of vaccination for the Pandemic H1N1 that is supported by the Australian Government.
Pandemic prevention messages that began a month ago will continue for another 2-3 weeks until the TWG is able to establish that we have surpassed the second pandemic wave in the country.
Story by: Ana Naisoro
