Thai PM confident H1N1 booklets help public understand virus response

BANGKOK, July 20 (TNA) - Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday expressed his belief that the booklet on the Influenza A(H1N1) virus distributed by Thailand's health authorities will help the public understand more about the virus and be more confident in the government’s response to the virus.

Speaking about a poll showing over half the respondents lacked confidence in the government’s measures against the spread of the H1N1 virus, the prime minister said the government is trying to contain the virus by reducing the number of new infections, but it also depends on public vigilence.

People having flu-like symptoms should stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus.

The poll was conducted among 1,018 Bangkok residents from July 16-18 by the Bangkok University Research Center (Bangkok Poll).

Mr Abhisit said he instructed the public health ministry to lay out plans to fight the disease by dispatching specialists to local communities and focusing on early reports on H1N1 cases.

"According to reports of the public health ministry, people now understand more about the virus. The number of flu patients to seek treatment at hospital has decreased. Earlier some were panicked and rushed to hospital (unnecessarily),” the prime minister explained..

Mr Abhisit advised that unnecessary visits to hospitals by patients not needing treatment means that public health professionals are diverted from caring for marginal patients instead of focusing on cases who really need the treatment.

Speaking about the government’s plans during the next few years, the prime minister said the most important thing is to follow up drug resistance and virus mutation, which can cause the new round of the outbreak.

The cabinet earlier approved an H1N1 surveillance project to monitor the situation and possible mutation. (TNA)