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P&O cruise ship Pacific Sun - Source: ONE News -
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An unlucky group of 13 will be quarantined in their homes after stepping off the Pacific Sun cruise ship in Auckland.
A New Zealand woman who boarded the ship in Brisbane last week tested positive for influenza type A, a precursor to H1N1, or swine flu.
She and 12 close contacts have been kept separate from the 1700 other passengers.
The ship was met by health officials as it docked in Auckland on Thursday morning.
Auckland Regional Public Health Service clinical director Dr Julia Peters said all those who planned to disembark would be allowed off.
The ship's arrival followed warnings from health experts, including Peters, who have predicted an outbreak of swine flu in New Zealand could occur, possibly within days.
National Influenza Strategy Group spokesman Dr Lance Jennings said on Thursday morning it was "inevitable" people would be exposed during visits to Australia, where the number of affected people quadrupled over the weekend and reached 502 confirmed cases on Wednesday.
Jennings, a virologist, said people who made quick trips to Australia for work may not show symptoms for three to four days after returning.
"In the meantime they've been in contact with a lot of people."
The number of suspected cases of H1N1 flu in New Zealand has nearly doubled from 27 to 51 in just two days.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said about 17,563 people had been infected in 64 countries, with 115 deaths, 97 of those in Mexico.
Peters told The New Zealand Herald newspaper that in Australia, the number of cases was doubling every two days.
She echoed Jennings' sentiment it was inevitable New Zealand communities would soon be similarly affected.
"When that happens, because it's more infectious than seasonal influenza, it's going to spread and a large proportion of the community is going to get this virus.
"Even if it's relatively mild, people will be too sick to go to school."
Peters said that based on WHO modelling up to up 60% of people could become infected.
Health officials have recommended people stock up on three to five days' worth of food and any medicines required.
Anyone showing symptoms should stay home and contact their doctor by phone, rather than risk infecting others.
Health authorities have recently expressed concern at New Zealanders' growing apathy about the swine flu.
An advertising campaign warning people the virus remained a threat was being launched through newspapers, radio, airport posters and billboards.
