Chadwick Steve: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Chadwick Steve: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:607;Page:4136] 
9.  
STEVE CHADWICK (NZ Labour—Rotorua) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What advice has she received regarding the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 I was briefed by officials from the Ministry of Health yesterday morning and I will continue to receive daily updates. I am advised that the ministry is treating the offshore outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome as a significant threat to the health of New Zealanders. Up-to-date information from the World Health Organization and other international agencies was circulated yesterday to health authorities throughout New Zealand. At this stage the nature of and the agent responsible for the disease have not been identified. National infectious diseases experts have met several times and will continue to meet. They have decided to implement the first stages of a national public health emergency plan. The actions required by that plan are being circulated to all district health boards medical officers and other key health personnel. The public health emergency plan is available on the Ministry of Health’s website. 
Steve Chadwick 
: What is the state of preparedness for New Zealand to deal with this outbreak? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Last year following a simulated exercise the Ministry of Health developed a national pandemic plan. The exercise tested our ability to respond to such an emergency. I am advised that New Zealand is the only country to have tested a pandemic plan like that which was based on World Health Organization recommendations. The ministry is working with other agencies including public health services to ensure we are appropriately prepared to handle any eventuality. Our priority at the moment is to work with the World Health Organization to monitor the evolving situation and to ensure appropriate and timely action is taken in New Zealand. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: As Prime Minister Helen Clark believes that severe acute respiratory syndrome might rival the Spanish flu of 1918 which killed at least 20 million people worldwide why are we not screening all incoming travellers from affected areas? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: First of all the Prime Minister mentioned that a pandemic is deemed by the World Health Organization to be such and that the last major pandemic we had was the influenza of 1918. However in response to the second part of the member’s question I am flabbergasted because I believe that the member is a medical doctor. How does one screen for a disease that has yet to be identified? 
Pita Paraone 
: In the light of the recent deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome illness sweeping the world is she concerned that the number of people entering our borders from around the world may put New Zealanders under extreme risk of contracting this fatal virus; if not why not; or if so how is her concern being implemented? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: This disease is spread by contact between people and it does move between countries because people travel. However New Zealanders returning to this country could bring this disease to New Zealand just as easily as any tourist or visitor to this country could. At the present time airlines are ensuring wherever possible that people if they have the symptoms that have been identified are not allowed to travel. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Does the Minister agree that the international outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome is a portent of what will happen if antibiotic-resistant disease-causing organisms continue to spread and cause untreatable illnesses; and as a precautionary measure to avert such a disaster will the Government prohibit the routine feeding of antibiotics that are used in human medicines to millions of animals in New Zealand that are not even sick? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The member is drawing a very long bow. At this stage it is not known whether the disease is a virus or a bacteria. To then claim that it comes from the feeding of antibiotics to animals is I think taking a very long shot indeed.