The prevalence of influenza in Otago and Southland remains at expected seasonal levels despite the University of Otago confirming two cases of swine flu.
Otago and Southland medical officer of health Marian Poore said Public Health South was starting to see the first cases of influenza in general practices.
"This is the time of year we always see a rise in influenza-like illness," she said.
Monitoring of the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, was being handled differently to last year with health professionals carrying out the normal surveillance programme which provided an overview of illness in the region.
Statistics from the programme operating in Oamaru, Dunedin, Alexandra, Riverton, Queenstown and Invercargill, showed last year's H1N1 strain in 80 consultations per 100,000 people population.
The cases were "relatively mild", Dr Poore said.
University of Otago student services director David Richardson said only "small numbers" of people had reported having flu-like symptoms to Student Health and numbers of staff taking sick leave was low.
However, two students tested positive for H1N1 in sample screening taken in the past fortnight, he said.
He urged students with flu symptoms to telephone student health.
