ID :
66250
Wed, 06/17/2009 - 20:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/66250
The shortlink copeid
Thailand confirms nearly 100 new H1N1 cases
BANGKOK, June 17 (TNA) – Thailand has confirmed 95 new cases of Influenza A(H1N1), raising the total number of H1N1 patients to 405, while the Public Health Ministry has warned the public that the influenza vaccine cannot prevent a new virus strain.
Among the new patients, 88 are students, four are adults, and there are also three people who had recently returned from abroad, according to Dr. Prat Boonyawongvirot, Permanent-Secretary for Public Health.
Most of those diagnosed are staying at home for treatment, while only 12 have been admitted to hospital, he added.
The permanent secretary said that statistically 16 new Thais were contracting the H1N1 flu on a daily basis.
“The rising number of new patients doesn’t mean that the country’s preventive measures against the H1N1 flu failed,” he said, “but it indicates that Thailand has an efficient disease control system through lab tests to detect the spread of the new flu.
“The information from the public health ministry is also used for academic data at the national and international levels,” he said.
Regarding a report that Thai people are flocking to hospitals for influenza vaccine injections, Dr. Supan Srithamma, spokesman for the Public Health Ministry, said that the vaccine is effective in preventing only seasonal or normal flu and lasts only one year.
“The influenza vaccine cannot prevent anyone from contracting the H1N1 virus. Anti-H1N1 vaccine has yet to be produced,” affirmed Dr. Supan.
The injection of influenza vaccine is aimed at reducing seasonal flu patients and prevent complications in vulnerable patients, he said.
Two million doses of influenza vaccine have been stocked for risk groups, including elderly people and patients suffering from congenital diseases.
“The risk groups will show more severe symptoms than others, which could lead to death (for some). Vaccines will be injected for those people, as well as for health officials from July 1,” Dr. Supan said.
Dr. Supan emphasized that normal people can boost their own self-immunity by exercising, stop smoking and using alcohol, and eating nutritious food. (TNA)
Among the new patients, 88 are students, four are adults, and there are also three people who had recently returned from abroad, according to Dr. Prat Boonyawongvirot, Permanent-Secretary for Public Health.
Most of those diagnosed are staying at home for treatment, while only 12 have been admitted to hospital, he added.
The permanent secretary said that statistically 16 new Thais were contracting the H1N1 flu on a daily basis.
“The rising number of new patients doesn’t mean that the country’s preventive measures against the H1N1 flu failed,” he said, “but it indicates that Thailand has an efficient disease control system through lab tests to detect the spread of the new flu.
“The information from the public health ministry is also used for academic data at the national and international levels,” he said.
Regarding a report that Thai people are flocking to hospitals for influenza vaccine injections, Dr. Supan Srithamma, spokesman for the Public Health Ministry, said that the vaccine is effective in preventing only seasonal or normal flu and lasts only one year.
“The influenza vaccine cannot prevent anyone from contracting the H1N1 virus. Anti-H1N1 vaccine has yet to be produced,” affirmed Dr. Supan.
The injection of influenza vaccine is aimed at reducing seasonal flu patients and prevent complications in vulnerable patients, he said.
Two million doses of influenza vaccine have been stocked for risk groups, including elderly people and patients suffering from congenital diseases.
“The risk groups will show more severe symptoms than others, which could lead to death (for some). Vaccines will be injected for those people, as well as for health officials from July 1,” Dr. Supan said.
Dr. Supan emphasized that normal people can boost their own self-immunity by exercising, stop smoking and using alcohol, and eating nutritious food. (TNA)
