Sydney’s swine flu experts

With the confirmation of the first human-to-human transmissions of swine flu on Australian soil, in keeping with our expert’s predictions, Health Minister Nicola Roxon now says that new cases should be expected to be reported every few hours.

"We were never going to dodge that bullet," said Sydney University expert Professor Robert Booy, Head of Clinical Research at the National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance. "Given the two billion commercial air travellers a year it was always going to come to Australia within about a month."

Confirmation of the H1N1 cases increased to 11 on Friday (22 May), with two of the first human-to-human transmissions on Australian soil.

(Source: Sydney University: May 2009)