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Objectives: To assess the extent to which the 2018–19 New South Wales summer influenza epidemic was associated with overseas or domestic travel and with seasonal influenza vaccination status. Design, setting: Unmatched case–control study, based on an online survey distributed from the NSW Notifiable Conditions Information Management System (NCIMS) to people for whom mobile phone numbers were available. Participants: A case was defined as a person with notified laboratory‐confirmed influenza with onset of illness between 1 December 2018 and 21 March 2019. People with notified pertussis infections (confirmed or probable) were selected as controls. Main outcome measures: Notified influenza infection, by travel and contact with unwell overseas travellers in the week before onset of illness and seasonal influenza vaccination status (as the primary exposures). Results: Valid survey responses were provided by 648 of 2806 invited people with notified influenza (23%) and 257 of 796 invited people with notified pertussis (32%). The demographic characteristics of the respondents were similar to those of the source population (7251 cases, 2254 controls). During the first two months of the summer of 2018‒19, notified influenza was more likely for people who had travelled overseas or had contact with an ill overseas traveller in the week before symptom onset (adjusted OR [aOR], 6.99; 95% CI, 3.59–13.6), but not during the second two months (aOR, 1.63; 95% CI, 0.79–3.35). Influenza vaccination status was not associated with the likelihood of notified influenza. Conclusions: Travel‐related factors were early drivers of the 2018‒19 NSW summer influenza epidemic; local transmission sustained the outbreak despite unfavourable conditions later in summer. Our findings prompted re‐evaluation of recommendations for pre‐travel vaccination in NSW. The role of travel in out‐of‐season influenza outbreaks should be considered in other temperate zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In Australia, the 2009 epidemic of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 resulted in increased admissions to intensive care. The annual contribution of influenza to use of intensive care is difficult to estimate, as many people with influenza present without a classic influenza syndrome and laboratory testing may not be performed. We used a population-based approach to estimate and compare the impact of recent epidemics of seasonal and pandemic influenza. Methods For 2007 to 2010, time series describing health outcomes in various population groups were prepared from a database of all intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Serfling approach, a time series method, was used to estimate seasonal patterns in health outcomes in the absence of influenza epidemics. The contribution of influenza was estimated by subtracting expected seasonal use from observed use during each epidemic period. Results The estimated excess rate of influenza-associated respiratory ICU admissions per 100,000 inhabitants was more than three times higher in 2007 (2.6/100,000, 95% CI 2.0 to 3.1) than the pandemic year, 2009 (0.76/100,000, 95% CI 0.04 to 1.48). In 2009, the highest excess respiratory ICU admission rate was in 17 to 64 year olds (2.9/100,000, 95% CI 2.2 to 3.6), while in 2007, the highest excess rate was in those aged 65 years or older (9.5/100,000, 95% CI 6.2 to 12.8). In 2009, the excess rate was 17/100,000 (95% CI 14 to 20) in Aboriginal people and 14/100,000 (95% CI 13 to 16) in pregnant women. Conclusion While influenza was diagnosed more frequently and peak use of intensive care was higher during the epidemic of pandemic influenza in 2009, overall excess admissions to intensive care for respiratory illness was much greater during the influenza season in 2007. Thus, the impact of seasonal influenza on intensive care use may have previously been under-recognised. In 2009, high ICU use among young to middle aged adults was offset by relatively low use among older adults, and Aboriginal people and pregnant women were substantially over-represented in ICUs. Greater emphasis on prevention of serious illness in Aboriginal people and pregnant women should be a priority in pandemic planning.

The article offers information on the results of enhanced surveillance in response to the outbreak of human enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in Sydney, New South Wales. The analysis includes both confirmed and suspected EV71 cases. It shows that the epidemic occurred from December 2012 to may 2013 and 119 children with the diseases were reported.

Highlights a presentation on sailing by member Bruce Kirby at the February 2005 meeting of the Canadian Atlantic Section of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. Kirby's sailing experiences on Lac Deschenes; Kirby's designs of sailing boats.

Highlights a presentation entitled "Fleet Modeling for Marine Transportation Planning" during the March 16, 2005, meeting of the Canadian Atlantic Section of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. Economics associated with the interaction of various fleet assets; Mathematical modeling of fleet operations.

Reports on the 30-year naval research program plan of the Royal Australian Navy. Goal of RAN; Significance of the plan for the marine industry; Development of a range of specialized marine vehicles.

Reports that the Canadian Atlantic Section has met with Eric Thornhill delivering an oral presentation of "Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Overview for Ship Hydrodynamics." Description and usability of CFD; Components of CFD; Strengths and weaknesses of CFD.

Reports on the topic of the presentation of executives Martin Karlsen and Fred Debai of Karlsen Shipping company on the conversion of icebreaker to the Eco-tour or cruise ship Polar Star during the meeting of the Canadian Section in Canada.

Aim: To review the epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease in NSW for the period 1991-2011, in particular since the introduction of the meningococcal C vaccination program in 2003., Methods: We undertook a descriptive analysis of NSW notifications of invasive meningococcal disease for the period 2003-2011, and explored long-term changes in the epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease over the period 1991-2011., Results: In the period 2003-2011, there were 1009 notifications of invasive meningococcal disease in NSW, an average annual rate of 1.6 per 100000 population. Notification rates were highest in the 0-4 and 15-19-year age groups (8.5 and 3.6 per 100000 population respectively). In the period 1991-2011, invasive meningococcal disease notifications increased between 1991 and 2000, peaking at 3.8 notifications per 100000 population in 2000. Notifications have decreased since that time to 1.0 per 100000 population in 2011, most markedly for serogroup C disease since the introduction of the meningococcal C vaccination program in 2003. Meningococcal C notifications reduced from 54 in 2002 (0.8 per 100000 population) to two in 2011 (0.03 per 100000 population). Meningococcal C deaths have also decreased, from nine in 2002 to zero in 2011. The greatest reduction in meningococcal C notifications has been in those aged 1-19 years, the target group for the vaccination program. Meningococcal B notifications have also decreased over the study period, however serogroup B remains the predominant serogroup for invasive meningococcal disease in NSW., Conclusion: Notification rates of invasive meningococcal disease have decreased in NSW since 2000. Rates of serogroup C disease have decreased since the introduction of the meningococcal C vaccination program in 2003. Most of the burden of invasive meningococcal disease in NSW is now due to serogroup B disease.