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Influenza vaccine ineffective on high-risk groups

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:45:43 +0000

BANGKOK, 13 August 2009 (NNT) – Public Health Minister, Witthaya Kaewparadai, admitted that the nasal-spray vaccine against the A (H1N1) virus produced by Thailand was ineffective on people in 5 high-risk groups.

Mr. Witthaya said the spray type of live-attenuated influenza A (H1N1) vaccine produced in Thailand could not effectively cover people with an allergy to eggs, those with congenital asthma, those over 49 years old, children under 2 years old, and pregnant women. As a result, the National Vaccine Committee meeting suggested a purchase of injectable inactivated vaccines from abroad as supplies for emergency cases.

In addition, the National Vaccine Committee recommended the Public Health Ministry to produce additional dengue fever vaccines, Japanese encephalitis vaccines, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccines for tuberculosis and Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis vaccines (DTP).

Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak had affected the 2009 GDP forecast

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:31:11 +0000

BANGKOK, 20 July 2009 (NNT) – Governor of the Bank of Thailand (BOT) Tarisa Watanagase admitted that the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak had affected the 2009 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecast despite improvements in most economic numbers.

Ms Tarisa declared that the forecast of Thailand’s GDP in 2009 in terms of inflation, to be announced on 24 July, was relatively poor although some improvements had been seen in various economic numbers.

The BOT Governor indicated that the A (H1N1) outbreak was one of the major threats to the Thai economy. However, she said it was still unclear which areas of the economy would be impacted.

Seventh victim dies from influenza A(H1N1) virus

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:25:04 +0000

BANGKOK, July 4 (TNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health confirmed Saturday that one more fatality has occurred from influenza A(H1N1), raising the country’s death toll from the new virus strain to seven.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodhi said the seventh victim was a 37 year-old woman from Ratchaburi who died on Friday night.

He said the victim suffered fever since June 25-26 and was admitted to hospital in Ratchaburi on July 2 with a lung infection.

She was not on an earlier observation list, he said, as the medical professionals were unaware that she had contracted A(H1N1) until lab tests indicated the virus after she had died.

The victim’s six family members were put under doctor’s observation.

Mr. Manit said the virus outbreak was likely to spread more widely during Thailand’s long holiday from Saturday until Wednesday due to the numbers of people who are traveling long distances and changing their locales.

Hospitals nationwide have been ordered to be prepared to quick respond to the outbreak if and when it appears.

The Ministry earlier reported that the cumulative number of virus patients rose to 1,845 as of Saturday morning with 134 new cases confirmed. Of that number 1,748 patients have fully recovered and have been discharged, but more a number of patients are still receiving treatment in hospitals and are under close surveillance. (TNA)

MOPH: Another 30 cases of Influenza A (H1N1) confirmed in Thailand

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:13:06 +0000

BANGKOK, 11 June 2009 (NNT) – An additional 30 people in Thailand have been pronounced infected with the Influenza A (H1N1) today, causing the total number of confirmed cases to skyrocket to 46.

On top of yesterday’s total of 16 cases of the A (H1N1) infection, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai announced that 30 more cases had been confirmed today, raising the sum to 46. The minister said 5 of the new cases were among the suspected patients under quarantine while 21 were found in Pattaya, Chon Buri province, and the other 4 were private school students.

Mr. Witthaya stated that the A (H1N1) virus was reported to be spreading in various areas throughout the country, thus probably leading to a continuous rise in the number of flu-infected patients later on. However, he urged the public not to panic and cooperate with the authorities in preventing the spread of the disease. The Public Health Ministry has also instructed all schools to impose precautionary measures to jointly prevent the virus transmission among students and to report any possible case of infection for prompt examination and treatment.

Since the majority, or 90 percent, of patients infected with the A (H1N1) virus were recorded experiencing only mild symptoms and fully recovering from the illness with proper medication, Mr. Witthaya pointed out that the disease was not as dangerous as many feared. He then encouraged the public and all schools nationwide to follow up the ministry’s instruction on the prevention against the Influenza A (H1N1) at www.moph.go.th.

Another Thai woman diagnosed with H1N1 influenza virus

Sat, 30 May 2009 18:22:45 +0000

BANGKOK, May 30 (TNA) — A 52-year-old Thai woman who returned earlier this week from the US and Canada has been found to have contracted the potentially-lethal influenza A (H1N1) virus, according to Dr. Praj Boonyawongvirot, Permanent Secretary for Public Health.

Dr. Praj said the victim went to the U.S. and Canada with her son and eight other persons on May 13. They boarded a luxury cruise liner in Alaska and spent eight nights on the ship.

The party returned to Bangkok on Tuesday, he said. The woman suffered a fever and sore throat the next day and went to see a doctor at a Bangkok hospital and was found to have contracted the disease.

The woman, the third victim of influenza A virus in Thailand following the outbreak of the disease in Mexico, is now recovering after doctors gave her antiviral drug Tamiflu, Dr. Praj said.

Meanwhile, Bangkok deputy governor Dr. Malinee Sukvejvorakij said her office, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, had cooperated with the Ministry of Public Health caring for the woman from the beginning when she was sent to hospital for treatment.

The patient has now been went to her home upcountry, Dr. Malinee said. (TNA)