The health authorities in New Caledonia will this week open a second special flu treatment centre to cope with the increase in the number of people suffering from the flu.
Local television reports that dozens of people feeling unwell turn up at the one centre at the main Noumea hospital every day while the official confirmed number of swine flu has reached 57.
An additional centre is to be set up in Magenta.
Swine flu has so far been contained to the greater Noumea area but there have been scares in the outer islands where Australian cruise ships make stopovers.
The spread of swine flu is no longer restricted to those who have travelled overseas.
