The New Zealand government on Wednesday took steps that make swine flu a notifiable disease.

Health Minister Tony Ryall, at a press conference updating New Zealand's efforts to combat the disease, said on Wednesday afternoon that the government had made an order-in-council making non-seasonal influenza a notifiable disease.

While health officials had all the powers they needed at present, this step would mean that there was now a process for notifying health authorities of swine flu.

"Secondly, it is now on the schedule for the Epidemic Preparedness Act, so if there's any need to bring in that Act it's much more straightforward," he said. "This is just a precautionary measure at present."

Director-General of Health Stephen McKernan said five passengers on a Qantas flight that had stopped off in Auckland on Wednesday were exhibiting some symptoms of the disease.

They had been checked at Middle more Hospital and now were isolated while undergoing a course of Tamiflu. Another six New Zealanders on flights on Wednesday who had some symptoms were put on a Tamiflu course and sent home.

Swine flu arrived in New Zealand on Saturday on Air New Zealand flight NZ1 from Los Angeles.

On board the flight was a group of students, teachers and parents from Auckland's Rangitoto College who had visited Mexico.

Some began showing flu symptoms and test results back from Melbourne-based WHO laboratory on Tuesday confirmed three of them had swine flu.

The New Zealand Health Ministry also assumed the other eight samples will also have swine flu.

Along with those 11, there were another 34 suspected cases around the country, with 179 people in isolation with symptoms.

A test taken from a fourth sample sent from New Zealand to the WHO's Melbourne lab had insufficient "definitive matter" to draw a result, officials said on Wednesday afternoon.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)