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Avian influenza/pandemic influenza
Avian influenza/pandemic influenza
Avian influenza, or "bird 'flu": a contagious disease caused by viruses that normally infect only birds. It has occasionally infected humans who have had close contact with poultry or wild birds.
Pandemic influenza: an influenza outbreak that spreads rapidly through human populations. Pandemic influenza occurs around three times each century on average, most recently in 1918, 1957 and 1968.
There is concern that the current H5N1 strain of avian influenza may mutate into pandemic influenza.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a six-phase alert system to respond to avian influenza and pandemic influenza. Under this system, the current situation is at Phase Three.
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Advice to New Zealanders travelling overseas
At this stage, the WHO is not recommending against travel to any countries affected by avian influenza [external link to OIE website].
The Ministry of Health and MFAT jointly prepare travel advice [external link] on avian and pandemic influenza. MFAT also prepares country-specific travel advice based on security concerns.
Staying safe
The risk of contracting avian influenza is believed to be very low, provided you:
- avoid live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds
- avoid contact with surfaces contaminated with animal faeces or fluids
- avoid eating or handling undercooked or raw poultry, egg or duck dishes
- avoid dishes made with fresh duck blood; and
- wash your hands regularly.
Normal cooking destroys the avian influenza virus. No cases of avian influenza have been linked to the consumption of properly cooked poultry and egg products.
Being prepared
Travellers should monitor the advice of local authorities about the risks of avian or pandemic influenza locally and assistance available. We also encourage you to:
- ensure that friends and family are informed of your travel itinerary
- record your details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade [external link] so you can be contacted in an emergency
- know how to contact the nearest New Zealand representative
- take out travel insurance and be aware of any limitations on cover
- consult your medical practitioner 4-6 weeks before travel, regardless of destination, to check on appropriate medications or inoculations, or for advice on any specific health concerns
- consider how you could look after yourself and your family if border and quarantine restrictions were put in place. Such restrictions could be applied quickly if the situation worsened.
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Advice for New Zealanders living overseas
New Zealanders living overseas should be prepared to take personal responsibility for their own safety and well-being should they be at risk from avian influenza-related pandemic. The information below is offered to help New Zealanders make adequate preparations for this risk.
If avian influenza evolves into a human pandemic, it is possible that some countries may close their borders. This is an option that may be considered in New Zealand. Decisions to close borders may be taken very quickly following declaration of a pandemic. Therefore, you need to consider in advance how you can care for yourself, wherever you are.
New Zealand embassies and high commissions overseas will not be able to:
- provide any anti viral drugs such as Tamiflu to New Zealand citizens overseas
- help New Zealand citizens overseas return to New Zealand if borders are closed.
We will try to provide the most up to date and accurate information possible so you can make sensible decisions about travel, but we cannot guarantee that you would receive advance warning of a border closure quickly enough to enable you to reach New Zealand beforehand.
You may not be able to return to New Zealand, even at short notice, if the avian influenza risk rises suddenly and seriously.
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Being prepared
You should:
- ensure your travel documents are up to date and in a safe place
- regularly monitor the New Zealand Ministry of Health website [external link]
- record your details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade [external link]
- consider how you could look after yourself and your family if border and quarantine restrictions were put in place that restricted your options for leaving
- think about the items you might need to store (e.g. cash, food, water, batteries, medication.) Use the measures outlined in Getting Ready for a Pandemic [external link] as a starting point and adapt these to suit the situation in the country where you live.
Staying safe
The risk of contracting avian influenza is believed to be very low, provided you:
- avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds
- avoid contact with surfaces contaminated with animal faeces or fluids
- avoid eating or handling undercooked or raw poultry, egg or duck dishes
- avoid dishes made with fresh duck blood; and
- wash your hands regularly.
Normal cooking destroys the avian influenza virus. No cases of avian influenza have been linked to the consumption of properly cooked poultry and egg products.
Anti-viral Medication
Tamiflu and other anti-viral medication can shorten the course of infection, if given early. Several anti-virals have specific activity against the influenza virus. Tamiflu [external link] is one of two anti-viral medicines that may be effective against the strains of avian influenza, the other medicine is Relenza [external link], which is not marketed in New Zealand. You should consult your doctor on whether this is appropriate for you.
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Tamiflu can prevent infection with influenza but would need to be taken daily throughout the period of risk. It can also be effective after infection if taken within 48 hours of exposure and may reduce the severity of the illness. Very small children should not take the drug, and Tamiflu does have some side effects. Further information is available on the Ministry of Health website [external link]. It is unclear whether Tamiflu will be effective against the particular strain of avian flu that might become freely transmitted from human to human.
Tamiflu stocks are currently limited in many countries, including New Zealand. The New Zealand Ministry of Health will not have sufficient stocks of Tamiflu to distribute to New Zealanders overseas. If you are living in or near an avian influenza-affected country for an extended period, you might wish to consult your doctor on whether they would have access to anti-virals (such as Tamiflu) for treatment.
Role of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)
1 Pandemic planning
MFAT works closely with other government agencies to ensure a coordinated national pandemic response. The Ministry of Health has issued New Zealand's pandemic influenza action plan [external link].
MFAT's responsibilities include:
- providing travel advice to New Zealand travellers (in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and drawing on information from the World Health Organisation)
- providing information for New Zealanders travelling and living overseas
- planning how we might assist New Zealanders overseas if a pandemic occurs
- liaising with other governments and international organisations on pandemic planning issues
- planning for continuity of our business [external link] in the event of a pandemic.
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2 During pandemic
It is likely pandemic influenza will first appear outside New Zealand. MFAT will:
- provide travel advice to New Zealand travellers (in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and drawing on information from the World Health Organisation)
- provide information for New Zealanders travelling and living overseas
- provide some assistance to New Zealanders overseas
- ensure the New Zealand government has up-to-date information on the global spread of the pandemic and the international response to it
- contribute to efforts to provide assistance to Pacific Island countries.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I postpone travel to countries currently infected with avian influenza?
- While there are no restrictions in place at present, travellers should regularly monitor the Ministry of Health website and this website. Currently the risk of infection is low for people living in or making short-term visits to countries affected by avian influenza [external link], providing they observe the recommended precautions. Should the current situation change, we will aim to provide the most up to date and accurate information possible so New Zealanders overseas can make sensible decisions about travel.
What will happen if the avian influenza virus mutates to a strain easily transmissible between humans while I am out of New Zealand?
- If the H5N1 avian influenza virus mutates to a form allowing human-to-human transmission, all countries are likely to take a range of graduated measures, depending on how quickly such a virus was spreading. Such measures, particularly in affected countries, could include restricting travel within countries and between borders, exit screening, and other measures to contain the virus and prevent it spreading. Countries may also consider fully closing their borders.
Will the New Zealand Government issue a warning to New Zealanders living or travelling abroad before the borders are closed?
- If the risk of avian influenza-related pandemic escalates, countries are likely to take a range of graduated measures, depending on how quickly the virus spreads. These could include travel restrictions within borders, exit screening measures, or other containment measures to prevent it spreading beyond a "cluster". It is likely there would be very little advance warning of a full border closure, whether by New Zealand or another country.
What can I do if the New Zealand border is closed while I am overseas?
- There would probably be very little advance warning of a decision to close the New Zealand border. Planning for a possible border closure does take account of New Zealanders living and travelling overseas. However any assistance that New Zealand could offer might be limited by local restrictions on travel and local health conditions. We would therefore advise you to prepare to be responsible for your own safety and to make appropriate contingency plans.
Further Information
The latest information on avian influenza and pandemic influenza can be found on the following websites [all links are external and open in a new window]:
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Page last updated: Tuesday, 23 September 2008, 15:56 NZST
