Two a penny

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A child is the latest victim of swine flu as New Zealand’s death toll has climbed to 11 and the flu season peak is yet to come.

There are now a total of 2443 confirmed cases of swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), up from 2368 yesterday. .

No further details about the victim have been released, at the request of the family.

The child died within the past week in the Mid Central District Health Board region, and had underlying medical conditions.

New Zealand’s health services were still feeling the pressure from both seasonal and non-seasonal influenza this winter, but were coping well, said Health Minister Tony Ryall.

An eight-year-old girl also died from the virus in Wellington Hospital earlier this month.

Some hospitals were postponing elective surgery and were at full capacity in their intensive care units but were still on top of things, he said.

“What this surveillance data shows us is that we have not yet reached a peak in the number of people who will experience influenza this year.

“Latest data from ESR’s GP sentinel surveillance system shows a sharp spike in the number of consultations for influenza-like illnesses,” Mr Ryall said.”

Healthline continued to receive a large number of calls from people with influenza-like symptoms, although the volume of calls had dropped in the past week. We anticipate that our health services will continue to be under pressure for some time yet.

So far, the highest consultation rates have been reported among children and teenagers aged from birth to 19 years.

There was a continuing sharp increase in consultations for influenza like illnesses through ESR’s GP sentinel surveillance system since last week, said deputy director of public health Fran McGrath.

The highest weekly influenza consultation rates have been reported from South Auckland, Wellington and South Canterbury health districts.

The highest weekly influenza consultation rates have been reported from South Auckland, Wellington and South Canterbury health districts

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The readers of have spoken and it appears the All Blacks have listened. They say they are ready to sing their national anthem loud and proud tomorrow night against Italy.

After a resounding response to an opinion column this week imploring the All Blacks to belt out their anthem with the same gusto and pride that they show for their haka, it appears that the subject has hit home.

“I haven’t instructed them to sing the anthem.

With over 1000 comments posted on the original story and a poll revealing emphatically that New Zealanders would like to see their All Blacks treat their anthem with more respect, both coach and captain today confirmed the topic had been discussed within the team… yet,” said Henry at today’s captain’s press conference..

“I think that’s a decision they will come to.”

In other words, the All Blacks have been made aware that the mixture of stony silence and self-conscious mumbling that the majority of them seem to favour is not reflecting well on the team..

Skipper Mils Muliaina admitted some players were probably less emphatic in their delivery than they should be – a situation he put down to the conservatism of Kiwis in general.

“I think they should sing the anthem, sure,” added Henry when asked for his view on the topic.

“We’ve had a brief discussion as players,” he said.

“We’ve had a brief discussion as players,” he said. If you look at the French and compare them to us, we probably just open our lips a little bit. We’re probably conservative people as Kiwis. “We’re very passionate about being All Blacks and also the national anthem.

“Perhaps there’s a couple of guys in the team that don’t sing, but the majority of the group do,” added Muliaina. . We don’t I suppose jump up and down about it. we’re pretty conservative people..”

A bit of levity was then restored when the subject of whether certain All Blacks actually shouldn’t sing the anthem, given their vocal prowess.

“But we are making a conscious effort to do that, and we are very proud of it. “There’s some not very good singers in this team. “There’s some not very good singers in this team. Jimmy Cowan doesn’t sing it and I’ve just realised why – because he can’t sing.”

Of course Henry then had the last word: “We’ll have to get them a singing coach,” barked the coach.

Not such a bad idea if it gets these guys belting out their anthem with the gusto it deserves.

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Where’s your reindeer?

The Monday, 22 December 2008

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BLOW ME! This Father Christmas took advantage of a gusty Wellington southerly to try a new form of transport.

He usually travels by sleigh, but this Father Christmas took advantage of a gusty Wellington southerly to try a new form of transport.
Chris Hourigan, 34, of Petone, was one of six Santas and a Rudolph who took to the surf and the skies at Lyall Bay yesterday.95 Santa costumes and stashed them in their cars weeks ago, Mr Hourigan said.
The group of mates got the idea from another kitesurfer last year, and had picked out their $8..
"All the guys had been looking forward to it for weeks .. . It's becoming a bit of an annual tradition. It was a bit warmer than usual at the start, but that didn't last .
"It's heaps heavier… Most of the boys lost their hats and their beards and their pants eventually. Most of the boys lost their hats and their beards and their pants eventually.
Spring was the best time of year to kitesurf in Wellington, Mr Hourigan said.
About 50 people belong to a local kitesurfing group, making Wellington slow to warm to the sport, despite the city's reputation for wind."

. "Everyone else complains about the wind but we absolutely love it

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Touching service for families of crash victims

, in Perpignan – Friday, 05 December 2008

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MOMENT: New Zealand families who lost relatives in last week’s Air New Zealand Airbus crash gather for a service on the beach.

All five New Zealand families who lost relatives in the Air New Zealand Airbus crash marked the moment today, a week on, with a touching service on the beach near the where the plane went into the Mediterranean Sea.
Seven people died when the A320 went into the Mediterranean Sea seven kilometres off this South of France beach.46pm local time, the families and Air New Zealand officials, led by CEO Rob Fyfe, stood in silence on the beach.
As the moment of the smash, 4. Today it was calm and overcast.
It was a moment of complete contrast to last week when the weather was grim.
Earlier in the week the first of the families here had gone out in local rescue boats to the scene where the French Navy is continuing to search for wreckage and five missing bodies.
French locals stood a respectful distance watching the brief service. .
Meanwhile Air New Zealand is running full page advertisements this weekend in the local newspapers.
Although Air New Zealand has made no announcement of when they are pulling out of the area, it is likely to coincide with the scaling down of the military recovery over the weekend.
"From the initial courageous efforts of the search and rescue crews and the huge continuing effort to locate our boys, through to the dignity, respect and warmth of the welcome we have received in this beautiful corner of France we could not have asked more from you.
"On behalf of the families of the missing crew, the 11,000 people of Air New Zealand and the four million people of New Zealand, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for what you have done in the search for our missing loved ones, colleagues and countrymen and the two German pilots who perished one week ago," Mr Fyfe says in the ad."
"We journeyed here in the hope of taking our boys home with us but we know the memory of them will always be here with you," he said."
"We journeyed here in the hope of taking our boys home with us but we know the memory of them will always be here with you," he said."
Meanwhile, around the world, Air New Zealand staff observed a minute of silence at 9am today.
"Thank you with all our hearts.