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Australia swine flu ship cleared Australia swine flu ship cleared
(20 minutes later)
A cruise liner at the centre of concern about the spread of swine flu has been cleared to dock in Sydney and allow its 2,000 passengers to disembark. Almost 2,000 cruise ship passengers at the centre of Australia's swine flu outbreak have disembarked in Sydney as experts said the virus was contained.
Three crew members on the Pacific Dawn had tested positive for swine flu.Three crew members on the Pacific Dawn had tested positive for swine flu.
The swine flu infections forced the Pacific Dawn to abandon a voyage to the Great Barrier Reef. The infections forced the Pacific Dawn to abandon a voyage to the Great Barrier Reef.
But New South Wales officials gave the ship the all-clear on Monday, saying no new cases had been found and that no human-to-human transmission occurred.But New South Wales officials gave the ship the all-clear on Monday, saying no new cases had been found and that no human-to-human transmission occurred.
The Pacific Dawn has been blamed for the recent increase in swine flu infections in Australia after health officials allowed hundreds of passengers to go home at the end of a previous cruise despite a suspected outbreak onboard. "We are very confident there is no evidence of human swine influenza on the ship apart from the crew, who were isolated on day one of the cruise," said Dr Kerry Chant, the chief medical officer of New South Wales.
At least 20 travellers were later diagnosed with the virus. The cruise liner docked in Brisbane on Saturday, where 85 passengers disembarked and a medical team of 26 boarded the ship to examine the others.
Authorities confident
The Pacific Dawn has been blamed for the recent increase in swine flu infections in Australia after health officials allowed hundreds of passengers to go home at the end of a previous cruise despite a suspected outbreak onboard, the BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney says.
Just over a week ago fewer than 20 people were affected, our correspondent says.
The federal health minister, Nicola Roxon, now says that figure has since increased significantly: "The publicly confirmed national cases now stands at 306."
"Obviously, this is a number we have seen growing over the weekend and we would expect to continue to see growing for a period of time," Ms Roxon said.
Despite the rapid rise in infections Australian authorities insist that the situation is being contained.
Are you or is someone you know aboard the Pacific Dawn? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.Are you or is someone you know aboard the Pacific Dawn? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
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