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Swine flu officially declared ‘Pandemic’
June 12th, 2009 | 
Author: June 12th, 2009
THE World Health Organisation has declared the first flu pandemic of the 21st century urging countries to shore up defences against the virus which is “not stoppable” but has proved mainly mild so far.
The United Nations agency raised its pandemic flu alert to phase 6 on a six-point scale, indicating the first influenza pandemic since 1968 is under way.
Widespread transmission of the virus in Victoria was one of the key triggers for moving to phase 6.
Five people have been admitted to intensive care and more than 1000 cases confirmed following widespread testing in the state.
Acting on the recommendation of flu experts, the WHO reiterated its advice to its 193 member countries not to close borders or impose travel restrictions to halt the movement of people, goods and services.
“This is a very important and challenging day for all of us. It is important because we will be raising our pandemic alert level to level 6,” WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said.
“At this time, the global assessment is that we are seeing a moderate pandemic.”
The move to phase 6 reflects the fact that the disease, widely known as swine flu, was spreading geographically, but does not indicate how virulent it is.
More on this story at news.com.au
Latest news on swine flu in the Territory
It is believed that 12 Territorians now have contracted the virus.
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Ross Park Primary School closed due to swine flu
THE NORTHERN Territory’s Health Minister was last night in self-imposed quarantine, with suspected swine flu.
And a Territory school will be closed from today after a teacher tested positive for swine flu last night.
Minister Kon Vatskalis has met many leading members of the community since returning from Melbourne on Saturday, including Chief Minister Paul Henderson, six other Cabinet Ministers, rebel backbencher Marion Scrymgour, and CLP leader Terry Mills.
He has also dined with world leaders of the oil and gas industry, and met the Chinese Ambassador to Australia.
If Mr Vatskalis is found to have swine flu when his test results come back today, his contacts will be urged by health authorities to stay at home for a week.
This would leave Sports Minister Karl Hampton as Acting Chief Minister – he was away during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
His Government would be made up of Speaker Jane Aagaard, and backbenchers Michael Gunner and Lynne Walker.
Swine flu continued its spread in the Territory yesterday.
All the latest news and advice on Swine Flu
Ross Park Primary School in Alice Springs will be shut down until Monday, June 8. A review will be held before the school is reopened.
The Ross Park Primary teacher is the second Territorian with a confirmed case of swine flu.
A Darwin woman is also in home isolation after she tested positive for swine flu last Saturday.
Chief Minister Paul Henderson asked employers to be understanding of the needs of workers with children at Ross Park Primary .
Mr Vatskalis last night said he had a runny nose, fever and aches.
Update, Kon Vatskalishas’s test for swine flu came back negative according to 9 news just a few second ago.
First Swine Flu case in Darwin
A woman has tested positive for swine flu after arriving in Darwin on a plane from Melbourne last Friday.
The territory was – up until Friday – the only state or territory in Australia that remained swine flu free.
The Territory Government says the woman arrived in the morning and later tested positivive for the H1N1 influenza, commonly known as human swine flu.
The Government says the woman has been wearing a mask and is now in home isolation being treated with Tamiflu.
They say the flight information has been sent to the national H1N1 incident room so that other passengers can be contacted.
This case takes the total number of people in Australia with the virus to 255.
Forty-five new cases were confirmed yesterday, 35 of them are in Victoria, which now has the most cases of any state at 173
For information on swine flu, visit www.health.nt.gov.au The Commonwealth info line is 1802 007
Phones and Internet back up
PHONE and internet services have been restored to the Northern Territory after two faults thrust the territory into a communication blackout today.
All mobile, internet and STD calls on landlines went down after two “hardware failures” near Kununurra, in Western Australia, and in Marla, South Australia, in the early hours.
Customers were only able to make and receive local calls on their landlines.
A Telstra spokeswoman said the faults were corrected about 11.30am (AEST – 11am NT time), restoring full services.
She said technicians were investigating what caused the fault, which had occurred in “very remote” areas.
Darwin Model in national modelling competition
KATE Johnson will be putting her best foot forward when she contests a national modelling competition on the Gold Coast.
The blonde bombshell will represent the NT at the national finals of the Miss Hawaiian Tropic competition this week.
Ms Johnson, 25, of Lyons, said her experience on the runway was quite a contrast to her work as a graphic designer.
“I’ve only been modelling for about a year,” she said.
“I was in London when I picked up a bit of work.
“It is something fun you can do outside of your daily life – you can dress up in beautiful clothes and have your hair and make up done.”
Pics: more beautiful Territory models
The modelling final will not be Ms Johnson’s first time on the national stage as she was recently the NT finalist for the V8 Supermodel Search.
He first national showdown was as a finalist in the Miss Bikini World competition last year.
Ms Johnson said she hopes to do well in the competition, which will see her strutting in a dazzling orange bikini in the swimwear category, dressed as a saucy cricketer for the theme-wear – and responding to questions in the interview stage.
“You can’t be too modest,” she said.
“There is every chance I could win.”
The winner will be announced at a gala ceremony on the Gold Coast on April 4.
Another Darwin Soldier dies, this time in a car crash
A MAN killed instantly in a horror head-on collision was a popular Darwin soldier who would have celebrated his 25th birthday today.
Private Colin Marc “Teabags” Delmar was ripped from his prized Holden ute when it tore in half on colliding with an oncoming vehicle on Amy Johnson Ave about 6.40pm on Thursday.
Hundreds of family and friends left messages for the “great guy who knew how to make people laugh” on Facebook yesterday.
His younger sister Natalie paid tribute to her brother saying he was “a true friend, caring brother and a wonderful soldier”.
“R.I.P Colin. My brother who I cherished with all my heart, I will miss you forever and ever. I love you,” she posted on the social networking site.
Commander of the 1st Brigade at Robertson Barracks, Brigadier Michael Krause said Pte Delmar was a well-respected soldier whose death had been felt right across the barracks.
He said it was times like these when soldiers showed their comradeship and mateship.
It is the second tragedy for Darwin’s military this week after the death of Corporal Mathew “Hoppy” Hopkins in Afghanistan on Monday.
Darwin soldier killed in Afghanistan
A NORTHERN Territory soldier killed during a ferocious firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan was just 21 years old.
Defence said Corporal Matthew Hopkins is the first NT soldier – and the second non-special forces soldier – to die in action in the conflict zone since 2002.
His family have declined to speak publicly about their ordeal.
Cpl Hopkins was from the Darwin-based 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment at Robertson Barracks.
He was married and had only recently become a father.
Cpl Hopkins – described by Defence force chief Angus Houston as “fine, professional and courageous” – was one of about 440 Darwin-based Diggers on an eight-month deployment to Afghanistan as part of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Taskforce.
He was part of a joint patrol with the Afghan National Army, near Kakarak, 12km north of Tarin Kowt in the troubled Oruzgan Province, when about 20 Taliban insurgents sprayed them with withering gunfire about 4pm on Monday.
Air Chief Marshal Houston said it was a “very intense” firefight and Cpl Hopkins sustained a serious gunshot wound.
He said the Australian soldiers called in reinforcements and Apache helicopter support after coming under attack.
No other Australian soldier was wounded in the incident.
Racism in Hockey?
NT PEARLS Australian Women’s Hockey League (AHL) officials will today lodge an official complaint with the game’s governing body about racial abuse following Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Southern Suns in Adelaide.
The incident sparked a post-game stoush, which saw Pearls midfielder Emily Peris and Suns captain Bronte Pickett reported for rough conduct.
A source told the Northern Territory News that the alleged slur was made when players shook hands after the match.
A Hockey Australia spokesperson last night confirmed that a complaint was made and promptly dealt with by the tournament director in charge of AHL action at the Distinctive Homes Hockey Arena.
It is understood the tournament director and concerned team officials were locked in a 90-minute meeting immediately after Saturday night’s match.
“An allegation of racism was made and the incident dealt to the satisfaction of the tournament director who issued warnings to the players,” the Hockey Australia spokesperson said.
Hockey NT will today lodge an appeal on behalf of the Pearls.
Man in wheelchair refused by Jetstar Airlines
A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND man felt humiliated at a foreign airport when Jetstar refused to let him on board because he couldn’t walk.
Glen McDonnell, 36, had travelled with the budget carrier from Darwin to Thailand via Singapore.
But when he was boarding the plane at Bangkok for his return flight, Jetstar staff told him they were unable to take him home.
Speaking from Bangkok airport yesterday, Mr McDonnell told the Northern Territory News that he felt humiliated.
“They told me I’m not allowed on the plane,” he said. “I think it’s very discriminating.”
Mr McDonnell, who was left paraplegic after a motorcycle accident when he was 15 years old, travelled by himself to Thailand on December 2 for a two-month holiday.
His trip turned into a nightmare when he faced staff at the boarding gate in Bangkok.
“I checked in my luggage and went through customs and all that,” the psychology student said.
“And then the station manager asked me if I could walk at all. I said no and he said I wasn’t allowed on board.
Teenage Boy dies after Rapid Creek swim
A TERRITORY teenager died last night after after he had to be revived when he was swept down a swollen creek while playing with friends.
The 13-year-old’s body was dragged from the fast-flowing rapids and police and paramedics frantically worked for more than 30 minutes to bring him back to life.
The boy was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital but later died while being treated in the Intensive Care Unit.
The tragedy happened near the popular White Rocks and Yankee Hole waterholes along Rapid Creek, behind the Marrara Basketball Stadium in Darwin about 5pm.
Police said the boy had got into difficulty in the water and drowned.
Hundreds of other swimmers and tube riders were along the creek at the time.
Police told most of them to go home as they set up a crime scene.
A bystander who saw authorities carry the boy through a bush track to the road almost 200m from the creek said everyone was running around frantically.
“I didn’t see what actually happened at the creek but you could tell it wasn’t very good as people were standing around crying, and the police and ambulance just surrounded the boy as they tried to resuscitate him,” she said.