The 2009 flu pandemic in Oceania, part of an epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu, has (as of 27 June 2009) afflicted at over 22,000 people in Oceania, with 56 confirmed deaths. Almost all of the cases in Oceania have been in Australia, where the majority of cases have resulted from internal community spread of the virus. In addition, the government of New Zealand, where most of the remainder of cases in Oceania have occurred, is on high alert for any people travelling into the country with flu-like symptoms.
Australia
As of July 9, 7,290 cases confirmed in Australia with 20 confirmed deaths. The alert level has been lifted from "delay" to "contain", giving authorities in all states the option to close schools if students are at risk.
Australia has a stockpile of 8.7 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza. Airlines have been required to report passengers from the Americas with influenza symptoms, and nurses have been deployed at international airports.
On May 9, the first confirmed case in Australia was reported.
On May 20, four additional cases were reported, one in New South Wales and three in Victoria.
On May 21, an additional case was reported in Victoria. Victorian health authorities close Clifton Hill Primary School for two days (initially) after three brothers return to the school from a trip to Disneyland and are confirmed to have H1N1.
On May 22, cases were reported in South Australia and Victoria, including the first reported cases where the virus was contracted in Australia.
On May 25, the first confirmed case in Western Australia was reported.
On May 26, 3 additional cases were reported in Sydney. The newly confirmed cases involved two children who arrived in Sydney on the cruise ship named Pacific Dawn and another child who had recently returned from a trip to the United States. NSW Health issued a directive to the 2000 passengers who arrived in Sydney on the Pacific Dawn requiring that they stay at home for 7 days.
On 19 June the first confirmed death from swine flu in Australia was a 26-year-old Aboriginal man from Kiwirrkurra Community in the Western Desert of Western Australia who died in Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Fiji
Fiji on Wednesday moved to high alert against the swine flu virus, with the authorities admitting the Pacific island nation was not immune to the rapidly spreading global threat.
On Thursday April 30, 2009, a traveller suspected of being infected by the swine flu virus is under close surveillance at Lautoka Hospital, said the Health Ministry. Hours later, the Health Ministry said there were two suspected cases. 2 cases of H1N1 confirmed in Fiji.
As of June 30, 2009 there are 10 confirmed cases of swine Flu in Fiji.
On 10 July 2009, a total of 52 cases of swine flu were confirmed in the nation.
French Polynesia
French Polynesia has reported no cases of swine flu so far. Officials installed a thermal imaging camera on April 27, 2009, at Faa'a International Airport in Tahiti to screen all arriving international passengers. French Polynesia has 48,000 Tamiflu anti-viral treatments available in case of an outbreak, and more can be flown into Tahiti within twenty-four hours. On June 10, 2009, French Polynesia reported its first confirmed case in the islands.
Indonesia
Marshall Islands
As of July 20, there were 4 confirmed cases in the Marshall Islands.
New Caledonia
On June 2, 2009, the authorities in New Caledonia refused to allow the cruise-ship from Australia, the Dawn Princess to dock because five patients on board had flu-like symptoms.
New Zealand
The impact in New Zealand has been unprecedented, with school closures across the country. There have been only isolated instances of community transmission.
On Saturday 25 April 2009 ten students from Rangitoto College, a secondary school in North Shore City, Auckland, exhibited influenza symptoms on returning from a three-week language trip to Mexico. All 22 students and three accompanying teachers from the trip and those in close contact with them were placed in voluntary home isolation and treated with oseltamivir. The ten students tested positive for an influenza A virus, with three of them later testing positive for swine flu. The symptoms were reportedly mild and all affected individuals have since recovered.