ID :
65447
Fri, 06/12/2009 - 11:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/65447
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PM: Thailand's H1N1 outbreak is limited, but several schools close
BANGKOK, June 12 (TNA) – Concern over Influenza A (H1N1) is growing in Bangkok as several schools in the metropolitan area and a private tutoring centre in Rajathewi district closed Friday.
Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit ordered a private tutoring school in downtown Bangkok temporarily closed after it was found that an 11-year-old school boy at St. Gabriel's College had contracted the virus at the tutoring school before coming to his regular classes.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier said the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) in Thailand is still limited to some locations and that the country won’t raise its alert status level because its preventive measures have been carried out systematically and effectively.
Education Minister Jurin authorised school managements to close temporarily without seeking ministry permission if any students or staff are found to have contracted the H1N1 virus.
Three schools in metropolitan Bangkok were closed Friday -- St Gabriel's College, nearby Saint Francis Xavier Convent School and a kindergarten in suburban Pathum Thani.
Interviewed before travelling to Cambodia Friday morning, Prime Minister Abhisit said at that time that the spread of the Influenza A (H1N1) in Thailand was limited to a few areas and the government has systematic surveillance in place to closely monitor the new infections.
The locations where the H1N1 virus was recently detected were put under surveillance.
The areas are the two major tourist destinations -- the eastern seaside resort town of Pattaya, the southen resort island of Phuket and St Gabriel's College in the capital. The preventive measures were implemented before the new semester started, so the outbreak area can be limited.
The prime minister said Thailand didn’t have to raise the level of the alert because the country has disclosed the spread of the virus and has a good monitoring system.
Meanwhile, the privately-run St Gabriel's College where five students were found to have contracted the H1N1 flu virus has begun cleaning and disinfecting the school with assistance from workers from the Dusit district office and the Department of Health.
The school announced a one-week closure and will resume classes again on June 19.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) ordered 435 schools under its umbrella to thoroughly clean their schools this weekend.
The number of confirmed cases of swine flu in Thailand nearly tripled to 46 on Thursday, with 21 of the new infections were found among employees at a nightclub in the seaside resort of Pattaya. They were tested after two Taiwanese tourists claimed on returning home to have contracted the disease there.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Influenza A (H1N1) the influenza pandemic Thursday, raising the pandemic alert level to level six after it infected tens of thousands of people in 74 countries.
WHO Director General Margaret Chan said the declaration of a "moderate" pandemic should not spark panic and did not mean the death toll from A(H1N1) would rise sharply.
The latest WHO report showed that the number of H1N1 infections has reached 28,774 in 74 countries, including 144 deaths. (TNA, Agencies)
Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit ordered a private tutoring school in downtown Bangkok temporarily closed after it was found that an 11-year-old school boy at St. Gabriel's College had contracted the virus at the tutoring school before coming to his regular classes.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier said the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) in Thailand is still limited to some locations and that the country won’t raise its alert status level because its preventive measures have been carried out systematically and effectively.
Education Minister Jurin authorised school managements to close temporarily without seeking ministry permission if any students or staff are found to have contracted the H1N1 virus.
Three schools in metropolitan Bangkok were closed Friday -- St Gabriel's College, nearby Saint Francis Xavier Convent School and a kindergarten in suburban Pathum Thani.
Interviewed before travelling to Cambodia Friday morning, Prime Minister Abhisit said at that time that the spread of the Influenza A (H1N1) in Thailand was limited to a few areas and the government has systematic surveillance in place to closely monitor the new infections.
The locations where the H1N1 virus was recently detected were put under surveillance.
The areas are the two major tourist destinations -- the eastern seaside resort town of Pattaya, the southen resort island of Phuket and St Gabriel's College in the capital. The preventive measures were implemented before the new semester started, so the outbreak area can be limited.
The prime minister said Thailand didn’t have to raise the level of the alert because the country has disclosed the spread of the virus and has a good monitoring system.
Meanwhile, the privately-run St Gabriel's College where five students were found to have contracted the H1N1 flu virus has begun cleaning and disinfecting the school with assistance from workers from the Dusit district office and the Department of Health.
The school announced a one-week closure and will resume classes again on June 19.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) ordered 435 schools under its umbrella to thoroughly clean their schools this weekend.
The number of confirmed cases of swine flu in Thailand nearly tripled to 46 on Thursday, with 21 of the new infections were found among employees at a nightclub in the seaside resort of Pattaya. They were tested after two Taiwanese tourists claimed on returning home to have contracted the disease there.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Influenza A (H1N1) the influenza pandemic Thursday, raising the pandemic alert level to level six after it infected tens of thousands of people in 74 countries.
WHO Director General Margaret Chan said the declaration of a "moderate" pandemic should not spark panic and did not mean the death toll from A(H1N1) would rise sharply.
The latest WHO report showed that the number of H1N1 infections has reached 28,774 in 74 countries, including 144 deaths. (TNA, Agencies)
