Dr Jodie McVernon says it was inevitable that swine flu would eventually hit our shores following confirmation this morning of three cases in Melbourne. Yet she assures Melbourne residents that these cases are not an indication of “wider community risk”.

Dr McVernon says surveillance measures put in place by the Department of Human Services upon the outbreak of swine flu aided containment of the virus to three boys from one family.

“The first child travelled while healthy and presented with symptoms late which is why he went to school for one day. Despite this there is no evidence at the moment that this family has spread the virus to anyone outside their family,” she says.

Dr McVernon says that while some ministers have advised people to prepare their pandemic pantries in readiness for a local swine flu outbreak, at this stage “we have a local event with three cases in one family, and no indication of wider community risk”.

“Australia is also very fortunate to have a dedicated vaccine manufacturer which has been building up its production capacity to develop a strain specific vaccine which is in process now and will take several months”.