Schools are being asked to keep a close eye on students and children with underlying health conditions as they are more susceptible to both swine flu and seasonal flu.
New Zealand's death toll attributable to the swine flu pandemic remained at 10 today while the cumulative total of confirmed cases in New Zealand continued to rise. Today it was 2368, up from 2255 yesterday.
With schools returning from holiday today, deputy director of public health Fran McGrath said students and children who have flu-like symptoms should stay at home until they were well and no longer coughing or sneezing.
Both the ministries of health and education say it is important that schools take early action and call parents or caregivers of children who show symptoms.
"This is usually three to four days from the start of symptoms, but it could be up to a week. Staying away from other people when you are sick will help slow the spread of the virus in the community and allow both schools and health services to better manage the impact of the flu pandemic," Dr McGrath said.
The Ministry of Education is not collating numbers on students that might be absent due to flu this winter.
But David Hodge, the principal of Rangitoto College, the largest secondary school in the country with about 3000 students, said the rates of absenteeism were up.
"But we are not sensing that there's any big problem."
Normal absentee rates ranged between 5 and 8 percent and figures from the end of last term varied from day to day and between the years but the number of absentees had increased between 2 and 4 percentage points, he said.
People were being sensible and if they suspected their child had the flu they were keeping them at home.
Rangitoto College saw the country's first recorded cases of swine flu when a group of students returned from a trip to Mexico, where the strain was first detected.
Mr Hodge said the personal hygiene message was getting through and people seemed to be treating the whole flu season with care and respect.
He said he believed the flu was actually transmitted less this winter because people were taking more precautions.
"Once upon a time you would have got kids coming to school spluttering all over the place and sneezing on people. This year that's not happening."
Meanwhile, in Canterbury two new flu centres have opened in Rolleston and Rangiora to cope with an increase in the number of out-of-town flu patients attending the Christchurch Central Flu Centre.
"We've noticed that increasing numbers of people visiting the central city flu centre are coming in from Selwyn and Waimakariri. It therefore makes sense to open local centres for these people," said Phil Schroeder, head of the Canterbury Primary Pandemic Group.
One-hundred-and-seventy-six people attended the Christchurch centre over the weekend.
The Ministry of Health continued to encourage pregnant women who get sick with influenza-like symptoms to be prompt in phoning for medical advice.
Pregnant women were one group at greater risk of complications from the new influenza virus and should call their doctor or Healthline for advice if they become unwell with influenza-like symptoms.
If flu symptoms become worse, people should seek medical advice from their GP or phone Healthline on 0800 611116.
