Swine flu makes Toyota sweat

PRODUCTION at Toyota Australia’s manufacturing plant at Altona was interrupted last Friday night after an employee tested positive to swine flu.

Seven other workers exposed to the infected co-worker were also put into home quarantine but are expected to return to work today (Wednesday) after being treated.

Toyota Australia spokesman Glenn Campbell said the plant, which employs 3500 people, was closed for about an hour to be decontaminated, but the disruption to production was “minimal”.

Mr Campbell said the company acted quickly and in accordance with government guidelines after the employee, who works in the instrument panel area of the assembly shop, reported on Friday evening he had tested positive to the H1N1 virus.

Victoria has been hardest hit by the virus, accounting for three-quarters of the 401 cases reported in Australia, but the state’s health authorities said that most had only mild symptoms and that schools and businesses would not need to be closed when cases arose.

Victorian health minister Daniel Andrews said “the response to this virus needs to be proportionate to the risks posed”.