ID :
57725
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 20:08
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http://m.oananews.org//node/57725
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Thai airports install thermal scanners for swine flu
BANGKOK, April 27 (TNA, Agencies) - Thailand's international airports have increased surveillance to quarantine arriving passengers from Mexico and the United States, where a new strain of deadly swine flu virus has been detected and the virus has killed 103 people in Mexico.
Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said quarantine stations at all international airports, including Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, had installed thermo scanners to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico and the southern US. Health cards detailing the swine flu outbreak were also being distributed to all passengers.
"If a pandemic starts, we would scan specifically the planes from the outbreak countries to quarantine those planes and passengers on board," said Mr. Witthaya.
The health minister also said an emergency centre had been set up to monitor the outbreak and provide information on the swine flu to the public. He also advised Thais to avoid travel to affected countries.
The Livestock Department meanwhile informed animal immigration across Thailand to halt the import of swine from Mexico and the US.
Veterinarian Rungroj Thanawongnuvej, an expert on the swine flu virus from Chulalongkorn University, asserted the new swine flu strain of A/H1N1 had not been detected in Thailand.
Dr. Rungroj said the virus originated from pigs but was being spread through human-to-human transmission. Cooked pork would not transmit the virus to the consumer.
Dr. Rungroj however said swine flu was less deadly, than bird flu, with a lower proportion of fatalities. A person with swine flu virus would have flu-like symptoms including fever, a runny nose, coughing, sore throat, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea.
The swine flu killed at least 103 Mexicans on Monday, and sickened more than 1,600 others. Mexicans across the country donned surgical masks and locked themselves indoors, for fear of contracting the new swine flu strain.
The virus has also been detected in California and Texas. 14 schools in Texas, including a high school where two cases were confirmed, will be closed for at least the next week.
Canada has also confirmed six people ill from swine flu.
New Zealand Health Minister Tony Ryall said on Monday 13 people including students were reported to have the swine flu after returning from Mexico.
The Spanish government meanwhile said a man who recently returned from Mexico had contracted swine flu, the first recorded case of the virus in Europe. The European Union called an emergency meeting for Thursday to evaluate the virus threat.
Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia dusted off thermal scanners used during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic and were checking for signs of fever among passengers arriving at airports. (TNA)
Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said quarantine stations at all international airports, including Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, had installed thermo scanners to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico and the southern US. Health cards detailing the swine flu outbreak were also being distributed to all passengers.
"If a pandemic starts, we would scan specifically the planes from the outbreak countries to quarantine those planes and passengers on board," said Mr. Witthaya.
The health minister also said an emergency centre had been set up to monitor the outbreak and provide information on the swine flu to the public. He also advised Thais to avoid travel to affected countries.
The Livestock Department meanwhile informed animal immigration across Thailand to halt the import of swine from Mexico and the US.
Veterinarian Rungroj Thanawongnuvej, an expert on the swine flu virus from Chulalongkorn University, asserted the new swine flu strain of A/H1N1 had not been detected in Thailand.
Dr. Rungroj said the virus originated from pigs but was being spread through human-to-human transmission. Cooked pork would not transmit the virus to the consumer.
Dr. Rungroj however said swine flu was less deadly, than bird flu, with a lower proportion of fatalities. A person with swine flu virus would have flu-like symptoms including fever, a runny nose, coughing, sore throat, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea.
The swine flu killed at least 103 Mexicans on Monday, and sickened more than 1,600 others. Mexicans across the country donned surgical masks and locked themselves indoors, for fear of contracting the new swine flu strain.
The virus has also been detected in California and Texas. 14 schools in Texas, including a high school where two cases were confirmed, will be closed for at least the next week.
Canada has also confirmed six people ill from swine flu.
New Zealand Health Minister Tony Ryall said on Monday 13 people including students were reported to have the swine flu after returning from Mexico.
The Spanish government meanwhile said a man who recently returned from Mexico had contracted swine flu, the first recorded case of the virus in Europe. The European Union called an emergency meeting for Thursday to evaluate the virus threat.
Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia dusted off thermal scanners used during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic and were checking for signs of fever among passengers arriving at airports. (TNA)
