Via The Australian, dated June 4: Victoria placed on swine flu blacklist. Excerpt:
Three states last night placed Victoria in the same category of swine flu threat as Mexico and the US as the spread of the virus across the country risked tipping the World Health Organisation's global flu alert status to "full-blown pandemic".
As Australia's swine flu outbreak topped 620 -- making it the biggest outside of the Americas -- NSW, Queensland and South Australia yesterday ordered children who had travelled to greater metropolitan Melbourne to stay away from schools for a week on their return.
The move is likely to hit thousands of Queensland and NSW families attending last night's State of Origin match in Melbourne.
Tasmania and the Northern Territory also warned they would apply the same public scrutiny to people with flu-like symptoms coming from Victoria as given to travellers from Mexico and the US.
Queensland Health Minister Paul Lucas said the large number of swine flu cases in Victoria warranted further containment measures. "Therefore Queensland will now add Victoria to the list of jurisdictions -- US, Canada, Mexico, Panama and Japan -- where there is sustained community transmission," Mr Lucas said.
But federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said yesterday that her home state of Victoria was still safe to travel to.
"I'd also like to reassure the public that this disease, while it is still receiving a significant amount of national attention, should not impact on their decisions to travel within Australia."
