Medical researchers outside New Zealand who have kept a close eye on the mutations in the H1N1 2009 swine flu virus in New Zealand believe that there have been slight genetic changes in the 2009 flu virus.

They also said that the minor changes would not affect the efficacy of the present vaccine, but also stressed that the altered strains need further watch.

The researchers from Australia and Singapore reported in Eurosurveillance, “At this stage, these signature changes in the ... proteins have not resulted in significant antigenic changes which might make the current vaccine less effective”.

It is worth mentioning that since the beginning of this year, as many as 1,810 cases of pandemic (H1N1) 09 virus have been reported in New Zealand, which includes around 1,759 confirmed cases, 24 probable cases, and 27 cases are still being examined.

Dr. Leonard Mermel of Rhode Island Hospital said that if a person has cough and nausea and is also suffering from fever and chills is 10 times more susceptible to pandemic flu as compared to other viruses.

Dr. Mermel also stated that people between the age group of 5 and 59 are five times more vulnerable to pandemic influenza as compared to those who were below 5 or 60 or older.