R 250149Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0018
INFO HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
USPACOM HONOLULU HI
AMEMBASSY APIA 
AMCONSUL MELBOURNE 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
AMCONSUL SYDNEY 
AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 
AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000177 
 
 
AIAG FOR WINN 
STATE PLEASE PASS DHHS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR KFLU TBIO KSAF PREL AMGT NZ
SUBJECT: New Zealand H1N1 Sitrep, June 25, 2009 
 
REF: WELLINGTON 169 
 
¶1.  (U) Updating Post's last sitrep, (see reftel), New Zealand's 
H1N1 flu strategy has shifted from a program of containment for 
confirmed and suspected cases to management of the pandemic's 
impact throughout major population centers. The management strategy 
of the pandemic now abandons distribution of Tamiflu to all 
suspected and confirmed cases and will instead focus on those who 
are at most severe risk. NZ Ministry of Health (MoH) is now 
encouraging precautionary self-treatment of the H1N1 flu, as the 
majority of people will not need to see a physician to recover. MoH 
is responding to those still seeking treatment by boosting 
available resources at regional public health authorities to handle 
more patients. However, not all possible cases of H1N1 are swabbed 
and tested as not everyone is seeing a physician about symptoms. 
The management strategy also includes a concerted campaign to 
encourage citizens to also immunize against seasonal flu, which 
will peak within the next few weeks. MoH estimates that 10% of the 
population (about 400,000 people) is affected by seasonal flu every 
year, with about 400 people dying every year. This is in contrast 
to a report from the health coordination center estimated that no 
more than 200 New Zealanders would die from the illness this year. 
GNZ is also requesting that flu vaccine supplier CSL produce a safe 
vaccine to ensure that a return of the virus later in the year, or 
next year can be mitigated. 
 
¶2.  (U) Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives praised 
the Ministry of Health's handling of the H1N1 Influenza A Pandemic 
in response to a presentation made by Health Minister Tony Ryall on 
the status of the pandemic in NZ. Members of both the ruling 
coalition and the Opposition complimented Minister Ryall for his 
handling of the H1N1 pandemic. The MoH's containment strategy is 
believed to have had a great impact on slowing the spread of the 
non-seasonal flu strain through the islands, and has made 
management of the outbreak where community transmission has taken 
root, far easier. 
 
 
KEEGAN