Swine flu ‘not behaving like a deadly pandemic’

As cases climb to almost 900 since Australia saw its first community-level transmission two weeks ago Professor Robert Booy also says it's vital the nation doesn't drop its guard.

‘Relatively mild illness’

He says for the great majority of people it'll be a relatively mild illness but because it's a novel infection more people than normal will get influenza this winter.

While Australians with the virus are yet to suffer any serious complications Professor Booy says a heightened level of public concern is justified as a matched vaccine is still weeks away.

Professor Booy is Head of Clinical Research at the National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance based at the University of Sydney.

Precautions still in place

Five new swine flu cases have been confirmed in Queensland, lifting the state's total to 37.

Queensland Health says three are from Brisbane.

They are a 45-year-old woman from the inner northern suburbs, a 28-year-old woman from the outer northern suburbs who had returned from Canada, and a 30-year-old man from the outer northern suburbs who had returned from the United States.

The other two are women from the Gold Coast - one is 21 and the other is 35.

Queensland Health says no other details are available.

Swine flu closed another Queensland school on Friday afternoon.

The Education Department closed Brisbane's Ferny Hills State School on advice from Queensland Health.

An Education Department spokesperson said the closure was a precaution, as a student displaying flu-like symptoms was the sibling of a person with swine flu.

The school will reopen on June 11.

Military parade cancelled

Swine flu has forced the cancellation of the Royal Military College's annual Queen's Birthday parade.

The defence department on Friday said one cadet at the Canberra college, which trains officers for the army, had tested positive for swine flu.

A number of other cadets due to march in the parade, and who could have come into contact with the sick cadet, have been quarantined as a precaution.

The quarantine of the cadets means there are not enough available to hold a successful parade.

It's only the second cancellation in the event's 55-year history.

Defence said the cancellation was regrettable but could not be avoided.