It is believed the young girl had recently returned from Alice Springs Hospital which is struggling with an influx of patients suffering with the particular strain of the influenza.

Staff at the nursing home are keenly watching patients who may develop flu-like symptoms after the child spent some time there.

With the majority of the Territory’s swine flu cases in Alice Springs, occupancy at the hospital is running at over 100 per cent.

Dozens of patients are in isolation as they await test results for swine flu and a separate flu clinic has been established.

Some patients who are waiting for residential care have been transferred to Tennant Creek Hospital to free up beds.

There are now more than 222 cases in the Territory with more expected to emerge by today.

Australia-wide there are around 4500 cases and eight people have died from the disease.

While swine flu has been around for many years a new strain of the virus emerged in April this year with the first case diagnosed in Mexico.

The flu, which features symptoms including sneezing, a sore throat, coughing, headaches and muscle and joint pain, is caused by the H1N1 virus which is a new subtype blend of four strains of influenza viruses.