Swine flu

2009-05-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

Thailand

is now still safe from Swine Flu spreading

After Swine flu outbreak spreads almost all over the world including Asia, it seems now this outbreak is so well known. Every nation finds the ways to prevent and protect their countries from spreading of swine flu. Thailand is a country where prepare the prevention operations against swine flu to trust both Thais and travelers to visit and stay in Thailand. But now there is still no any report about the defected Thai people and died people from swine flu in Thailand.

First of all we should know what is Swine Flu?

swine flu video:

Swine flu is an epidemic of the new strain of influenza virus which now officially called H1N1 Flu and commonly called pig flu, Mexico flu, and Swine flu. The virus is a strain of influenza A which normally occurs in pigs. From the investigation of infected patients, the virus infects by human-to-human transmission but no transmission of the virus from pigs to human.The outbreak firstly appeared in Mexico and then spread to other countries such as USA, Canada, Spain, UK, Israel, New Zealand, German, Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea and Columbia.

The Symptoms of Swine flu defected people

The symptoms of Swine flu are shown like the symptoms of influenza such as body aches, fever, caught, sore throat, headache, fatigue. It can be difficult to distinguish between swine flu and influenza but it can be identified by laboratory test. Then if you find to have fever or these symptoms in yourself, I would like to advise you to see doctor.

Here is the video from CBS that can show you the symptom of Swine flu that Harry Smith spoke with a Texas family who contracted Swine flu but are recovering without difficulty. Dr. Jennifer Ashton outlined the symptoms of swine flu.

These below news articles are examples about Thai prevention operation

Thailand installs swine flu testing device at airports.

April 28, 2009 11:01 am

BANGKOK, April 27 - Thailand's international airports will increase their surveillance of arriving passengers from Mexico and the US by installing swine flu testing device at airports, following the detection of a new strain of deadly swine flu virus, local media today reported.

The measure came after a meeting Monday among Thai Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai, Disease Control Department Director-General Somchai Jakkraphan, representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and experts from the Thailand MOPH-US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor and lay out measures controlling and preventing the outbreak of the swine flu strain or A/H1N1.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the relevant authorities are evaluating the situation and will propose preventive approaches to the Cabinet on Tuesday, said Thai news agency.

Among the countermeasures against possible spread of the disease, the health ministry has ordered quarantine station at every international airport, including Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, to install thermo scanners — a device to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico and southern US.

Health card detailing the outbreak of swine flu will be distributed to both departing and arriving passengers.

The measures are launched after WHO declared the strain flu outbreak in Mexico and the US a “public health emergency of international concern” on April 26.

The swine flu killed at least 103 Mexicans, while sickening more than 1,600 since April 13, TNA said, adding that over the past two weeks the virus had also been detected in California and Texas.

Following the news of the outbreak, the Thai health ministry advised Thais to avoid travel to Mexico and the southern US.

An emergency centre has been set up to monitor the outbreak and give information regarding the swine flu to the Thai citizen.

Source: http://big5.people.com.cn/gate/big5/english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90880/6649089.html

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Returning student has mild flu symptoms

Published: 4/05/2009 at 12:00 AM

One of the 14 Thai students and teachers who arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport from Mexico Sunday night had mild flu symptoms, Department of Disease Control director-general Somchai Chakrabhand said on Monday.

Dr Somchai said the sick student was probably just tired from travelling but a blood test would confirm if the student had been infected with the A/H1N1 virus.

US Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius echoed Chan's warning that the real test would come when the winter influenza season hits in a few months.

Although no cases of swine flu have been reported on the Chinese mainland, one Mexican who stayed in a hotel in Hong Kong has tested positive.A Mexican embassy official said there were nearly 70 of his compatriots had been quarantined across China including in Beijing, Shanghai and the southern city of Guangzhou even though they had demonstrated no flu symptoms.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement: "The relevant measures are not directed at Mexican citizens and are not discriminatory.

"Myrna Elisa Berlanga, 31, a Mexican tourist who arrived in China on Saturday, questioned why she was being quarantined since no one on her flight from the United States had the virus.

"Right now we are tired of being confined, not knowing what will happen with us," she said by phone from the hotel near Beijing's airport where she and nine other Mexicans were being isolated.

EARLIER REPORT BELOW

Fourteen Thai students and teachers who were due to arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport from Mexico Sunday night will undergo strict screening for seven days for swine flu.Those found to show no signs of infection would be allowed to return home but put on a medical surveillance programme.

They would be told to stay at home over the surveillance period, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said.

The group of seven students and seven school directors were to arrive at Suvarnabhumi at 11.20pm by a United Airlines flight. They were on an educational exchange programme.

Mr Witthaya said about 300 passengers and cabin crew were on the plane with the Thais. The students, all from Bangkok, travelled to Mexico last August. Their initial scheduled return was in July. The seven teachers left for Mexico on a study tour on April 25.

Mr Witthaya said his ministry would monitor the health of the 14. An ambulance was to pick them up at the aircraft once they landed at Suvarnabhumi. They were then to be taken to a surveillance room where they would undergo check-ups.

Staff at the ministry's centre of operations against medical and public health emergencies asked relatives of the 14 people to attend a meeting at Suvarnabhumi airport at 9pm to explain the procedures, Mr Witthaya said.

The student, whose name was not disclosed, had been separated from other members of the group who returned from Mexico, he said. Relatives had asked health officials to quarantine four ot the returnees for seven days. The other 10 were allowed to return to their homes.

WHO chief Margaret Chan said in a newspaper interview that a second wave of the virus "would be the biggest of all outbreaks the world has faced in the 21st century", puncturing optimism emanating from the epicentre of the outbreak.

Health staff and volunteers would closely monitor their health over the next week, he said.The head of the World Health Organisation warned on Monday that swine flu could return with a vengeance despite Mexico's President Felipe Calderon insisting his country has contained the epidemic.

The diplomatic damage from the epidemic also reverberated with China denying it had discriminated against Mexican nationals after dozens were placed under quarantine over the weekend despite showing no signs of the flu.

Twenty-five people have died from swine flu, according to the WHO which estimated there were nearly 900 cases in 20 countries. All but one of the deaths have been in Mexico.

President Calderon said Mexico had managed "to contain the epidemic" and was now "in a position to overcome" the A/H1N1 virus.

Mexican health minister Jose Angel Cordova told a news conference the epidemic peaked between April 23 and 28 and was "in its phase of decline". But the WHO's Dr Chan said the end of the flu season in the northern hemisphere meant that while any initial outbreak could be milder, a second wave could be more lethal, reflecting a pattern first seen with the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic that killed up to 50 million people worldwide.

"We hope the virus fizzles out, because if it doesn't we are heading for a big outbreak," Chan told the Financial Times, adding that it could re-emerge in the months ahead "with a vengeance".

"I'm not predicting the pandemic will blow up, but if I miss it and we don't prepare, I fail. I'd rather over-prepare than not prepare."
The UN agency last week raised its alert level to five, indicating that a global pandemic is imminent.

More countries are confirming cases every day with Italy and Colombia becoming the latest to join the list, while France announced two new confirmed cases. Japan on Monday tripled the number of quarantine officers at Tokyo's Narita airport to try to detect cases at the start of a key holiday week.

Any of the 14 found to have fever would be sent for treatment at Bamrasnaradura Hospital. Those without signs of fever could choose to be monitored at the hospital or return home with health kits such as masks, hand-cleaning gel and a thermometer. Those who opted to return home would be checked by disease control officers every day. They would be told to avoid leaving home during the surveillance period, Mr Witthaya said.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbode said the Public Health Ministry had been monitoring the health of international passengers from all airlines. Those with fever and coughing are advised to immediately see a doctor.
Meanwhile, laboratory test results of the suspected flu case of an 11-month-old boy were last night reported to be negative.

The child had returned from New Zealand and lives in the northeastern province of Buri Ram. Mexico was optimistic Sunday that the swine flu epidemic is coming under control, as diplomats complained over Mexicans being held in isolation in China although they show no signs of infection.

Mexico, at the epicentre of the international flu outbreak, said the national death toll had reached 19, but Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said "each day we're seeing fewer serious cases."

He said "the mortality rate is dropping" and there were "enough elements to say that we are in a stabilisation phase."

Just days earlier, the Mexican government had spoken of 159 "probable" deaths from the new variant of swine flu, which was shown to be spread by human-to-human contact.

But stringent tests by US and Canadian labs on the mountain of "probable" cases excluded most of them.

In China, Mexico's ambassador complained that Mexicans were being treated unfairly after learning that about 50 were being held in isolation in across the country.
Ambassador Jorge Guajardo succeeded in visiting 10 Mexicans being detained in a hotel in Beijing, but only after a brief standoff with a Chinese official who did not want him to enter.

The ambassador said a Mexican diplomat living in the Chinese city of Guangzhou had been subjected to special testing after his return from Cambodia -- which has no confirmed swine flu cases -- just because he was Mexican.

"We of course object every time somebody is singled out for their nationality, and for no other reason, especially when they have no symptoms or when they are coming from a country that has absolutely no cases," Guajardo said.

Source:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/16119/strict-checks-for-14-students-teachers-back-from-mexico

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Swine flu news updated in Thailand

Quarantined school tour group allowed to go home

By: BangkokPost.com
Published: 5/05/2009 at 03:37 PM

All 14 students and teachers who were quarantined after returning from Mexico on Sunday night were discharged from a hospital on Tuesday and declared free of swine flu.

They were kept in quarantine at Bamrasnaradura hospital for 48 hours.
None were found to have been infected by the A/H1N1 virus, or Mexican flu, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said on Tuesday.

They included three students who were isolated are they showed flu symptoms upon their return to Bangkok.

"Their lab tests were normal, they can go back home," Mr Witthaya said.
However, it was suggested they not get too close to their relatives for the next seven days, and should avoid crowded places.

The minister reiterated, again, that Thailand is free of the deadly swine flu infection that has led to a global pandemic alert.

Mr Witthaya said preparations were in place for the meeting of Asean health ministers in Bangkok on Thursday and Friday, when they will discuss A/H1N1 prevention in the region.

He had met Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan on Tuesday and they were confident health ministers from all Asean countries would attend the meeting.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he accepted assurances that the Asean ministerial meeting would be free of red-shirt protests, because it was not a political meeting.

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/142402/quarantined-thais-allowed-to-go-home

My Reactions

1. Following the officially update information about swine flu around the world especially Thai and Thai prevention operations against Swine flu, what is going on in Thailand and ard around the world. Do not be panic-stricken before consideration the information that you have got.

2. Studying the background of this outbreak, the symptoms and the prevention of Swine flu to protect yourself as much as possible.

3. At this time, we should avoid to travel to Mexico, the southern US and another country where spreading of Swine flu because of high risk in getting Swine flu virus.

4.For Thai government, they should find the ways to against Swine flu and protect Thai people. The organizations who involve in this issue should to campaign and give basic knowledge about this outbreak.

5. Taking care of your food. Avoiding uncooked food or raw food.

6. Go to see doctor when you have fever or symptoms of influenza. Please have a check-up every year.

6. Always watch your hands, try not to use bathroom in public places.

Conclusion

Even though now there is no any report about Swine flu spreading in Thailand and there is no number of infected Thai people, but it does not means that Thailand will safe from Swine flu outbreak. Then everyone should concern about it because this outbreak widely spread all over the world in just a few days and now there is no medicine to treat infected people. Until now the number of infected people is around 1,300 people that means we can not be silent about this problem.Then Thai government must hasten to prepare the ways to protect their people and country against Swine flu and people themselves should know basic information about Swine flu, follow Swine flu news in many sources, know how to protect youself from this outbreak and take care of yourself as much as possible.

Thank you for visiting my blog

Pawarisa Khanpetch

ID 4907940579 No. 54

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Swine flu