WORLD> Worldwide Outbreak
Australia confirms 103 A/H1N1 cases
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-28 14:58

CANBERRA -- The confirmed flu A/H1N1 cases in Australia has rapidly increased to 103, Health Minister Nicola Roxon said Thursday.

Roxon said the number of infection cases may continue to increase in the next days.

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She said most of the cases in Australia had been "mild" and four people had been hospitalized so far.

The cruise ship Pacific Dawn, which is believed to be the source of the break-out of the virus in Australia, has been allowed to return to an Australian port where appropriate health support will be available, Roxon said.

Meanwhile, the Australian government has ordered enough vaccine for 10 million people - a little less than half Australia's population, she said.

Australia's chief medical officer Jim Bishop authorized the release of a batch of antiviral medication from the national stockpile on Thursday.

"Localized releases from the stockpile will enable us to continue with this aggressive containment approach to small clusters of the disease," Roxon said.

So far, 48 nations have been affected by the virus, more than 13,300 people infected and 95 others dead from the disease, according to the latest information of the WHO website.