New Zealand hit by bird flu scare

A plane was grounded at Auckland Airport, New Zealand today (November 13th) following reports that a passenger was suffering from the symptoms of bird flu.

Following news that a passenger had become ill as the plane, carrying 223 passengers, was approaching the airport, the flight was quarantined by medical staff on the ground.

However, reports from a nearby hospital indicated that the passenger was in a stable condition with a suspected case of gastroenteritis, and not a case of the human strain of H5N1 bird flu virus, as had initially been suspected.

An Auckland Airport spokesperson said: "We worked with everyone from public health and airport staff to initiate a plan that we had prepared for such an event.

"While it turned out the passenger had something else it shows that we are prepared," they added.

The country worst affected by the human strain of the bird flu virus so far has been Indonesia, with World Health Organization figures indicating that of the 113 cases of the disease there to date, 91 have been fatal.

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