New Zealand Health Minister, Tony Ryall, said the visits to health clinics would put more pressure on the health system as flu season peaked. "The public can expect to see full intensive care units and some surgery being cancelled at various public hospitals around the country over the next few weeks," Mr Ryall said.

Singapore's decision comes as some countries in the Western Pacific Region refocus their response efforts to provide better medical care to patients with severe illness rather than try to keep track of individual cases. Ongoing surveillance of suspected and confirmed

Keiji Fukuda, interim assistant director-general of WHO, said updated surveillance advice would be issued to countries within

The first fatality, a 19-year old man in Hamilton, died on 28 June. It is not yet known whether he had underlying health conditions. On 2 July, a 42-year old man with underlying medical conditions died in Christchurch, and on 4 July a young girl with underlying medical problems died in Wellington. All had tested positive to Pandemic H1N1 2009.

Indigenous people are considered more at risk from the H1N1 influenza strain as many have health problems such