Prevention of Swine Flu in Thailand

2009-05-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

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1. Flu screening bolstered as Asian cases confirmed
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/16068/flu-screening-bolstered-as-asian-cases-confirmed

By: POST REPORTERS and AFP
Published: 3/05/2009 at 12:00 AM

Thailand has tightened its checking and screening measures to prevent a possible outbreak of swine flu following reported infections in Asia.

Is Thailand ready for a pandemic?

On Friday, Hong Kong confirmed its first case of flu, followed shortly by a case in South Korea. Currently, there are 2,099 people throughout the world infected the virus. Updated on May 7, 2009

In Thailand, two people are being quarantined for medical assessment after they came down with flu-like symptoms, officials said.

Health officials are gearing up for the arrival of a group of 14 Thai students 7 Thai students and 7 Thai teachers and volunteers from Mexico, where the flu broke out, said Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart. The group, the first to come from Mexico since the outbreak, will undergo a thorough health examination at the airport. Any diagnosed with symptoms will be admitted to hospital, while those cleared will be allowed to go home but will remain under surveillance for seven days. Now everyone admitted to stay at the hospital for closely monitoring by doctors with every 4 hours checking process.

Maj-Gen Sanan, who chairs the panel monitoring swine flu, said the families of the 14 will be informed of any precautionary measures.

He will ask cabinet on Tuesday to approve the purchase of 10 infrared thermal scanners worth 150 million baht.

The heat-detecting devices will be installed at airports and border checkpoints as part of stepped-up surveillance for the flu. Maj-Gen Sanan and Deputy Health Minister Manit Nopamornbode yesterday inspected the quarantine centre at Suvarnabhumi airport where six scanners have been installed.

About 180,000 passengers have been scanned over the past five days.

"A few dozen were found to have high fever but we checked carefully and found that none had contracted this new influenza," said Mr Manit. Passakorn Akarasewee, of the Communicable Diseases Control department, said the patients under health quarantine - a 42-year-old woman and 46-year-old man - are staying at state hospitals. He said initial test results showed the woman was free of the flu, but more tests were under way.

The male patient is being closely monitored. (Where is he from? How can the CDC department deal with this problem if he has this virus? Is he still all right?) He is fine now. He just had a normal cold. Recently, he has already back home.

He returned from a trip to France and Italy on May 1 with a fever.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he is confident the Asean health ministers meeting in Bangkok this week will strengthen flu defenses around the region.

2. Swine-flu prevention raised to 'maximum'
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/05/03/national/national_30101848.php

By THE NATION ON SUNDAY, AGENCIES
Published on May 3, 2009

All visitors, including VIPs, entering Thailand subjected to thermal scanners

Thailand yesterday raised its swine-flu preventive measures to "maximum", with all visitors entering the country subjected to thermal scanners and even dignitaries not exempt.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee said the Public Health Ministry had stepped up surveillance after the first cases of the virus were confirmed in Hong Kong and South Korea on Friday.

He said the six thermal scanners at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport would check every passenger coming through the regional travel hub round the clock.

"After the outbreak [in Asia], we think it's better to do more rather than less. From now on everyone who enters Thailand, no matter how senior they are, will have to pass through a scanner," Manit said, "even a minister or the prime minister himself." Showing the highest security, so everyone can not refused this process in order to enter Thailand.

The scanners were turned on 181,713 arriving passengers in the past five days, and 31 were found with high body temperature, but most were later cleared. What do you mean by most? So some of them still are not clear?

Bureau of Epidemiology chief Dr Pasakorn Akarasewi reported that two Thai women in their 40s remained under close surveillance although the initial flu-test results were negative.

Deputy permanent secretary for public health Paijit Warachit said that tomorrow one more ambulance would be sent to the airport so that two would be available.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has been instructed to buy ingredients for oseltamivir to produce two million tablets of the influenza drug. Four million masks are ready for public distribution, and all hospitals nationwide are to set up swine-flu screening centres as was done for bird flu, Paijit added. Everything seems to be ready to handle with this virus

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Prat Boonyawongwirot said all passengers from countries at risk would be asked to fill in a questionnaire. What are the questions about and what is the result if they answer all the questions? All who pass the scanners will get a "health-awarenss card" to watch for flu-like symptoms throughout their first fortnight in Thailand. The ministry has printed one million cards.

Manit said Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya had expressed concern about swine flu and advised the ministry to act with unusual rigour.

Deputy PM Sanan Kachornpra-sart, who chairs a national committee on the "2009 flu", had a meeting at 10.30am yesterday with senior officials including Manit at the Public Health Ministry's swine-flu control centre.

Urging intensive and continuous control, Sanan called for appropriate measures for 14 Thais who are to fly back from Mexico today. 7 out of 14 people are AFS exchange students in Mexico.

Those who pass thermal scanning and physical examination will be followed by a medical team for a week, he said, and those with high body temperature will be put under close surveillance in hospital. So if those people come back with no fever, they can straight ahead to their home without monitoring at all? Should they stay at the hospital for a few days to see, is there any viruses that they have containing without showing? However, now all 14 Thais are safe and still staying at the hospital.

Sanan said he would contact the Mexican Embassy to arrange for the transportation to Mexico of 20,000-30,000 oseltamivir tablets, which would be initially sufficient for 19,000 patients. He said he would ask the Cabinet when it met on Tuesday to purchase 10 infrared thermo-scanners, which cost Bt1.5 million each, to be installed at borders. Thailand is now ready for produce the medicine in case of Thai people who need would have it on time.

Meanwhile, PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is to chair a meeting of health ministers from the 10-member Asean plus Japan, China and South Korea on swine flu on Friday in Bangkok, said the government was closely watching the situation and taking measures to prevent an outbreak. At Dusit Thani Hotel, Rama 4 roads with the highest security.

In related news, Labour Minister Phaithoon Kaeothong said there was no plan to evacuate Thai workers in countries where swine flu had been found. The ministry has put on hold travel abroad by Thai workers until the disease has been contained, he added.

3. THAI Well Prepared With Swine Flu Preventive Measures
http://www.thaipr.net/nc/readnews.aspx?sec=&newsid=C8A42256E09F1E3FDE64061D1E1ADD87

Published on April 28, 2009
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited announced that the Company has prepared to implement precautionary measures to prevent the spread of swine flu, safeguarding THAI’s passengers and those using the Company’s services.

ACM Narongsak Sangapong, THAI’s Senior Executive Vice President, Corporate Secretariat, and Acting President, said that the company has consulted with the Ministry of Public Health regarding the Mexican strain of swine influenza virus subtype H1N1 that resulted in public health outbreak and to closely monitor public health measures.

Based on consultation with the Ministry of Public Health, preventive measures will be implemented to safeguard passengers against infection.

The swine flu virus originated in Mexico and spread to other nearby countries in the Americas region, such as the United States of America and Canada. However, now become spread all area around the world including Asia.

THAI held a meeting to establish preventive measures that will guard against the outbreak.

In particular, THAI’s primary preventive measures relate to provision of passenger services, public hygiene and sanitation, maintaining high levels of cleanliness during in flight service and ground service provision.

The preventive swine flu measures will be similar to that implemented during the SARS outbreak in 2005 and avian flu outbreak in 2006.

Details of the Company’s swine flu measures will be disclosed in the near future, with provision of public health screening of passengers upon flight arrival and departure. Furthermore, hygiene and sanitation measures will be implemented in the cabin area and on equipment used by employees in passenger service provision.

As a result of the Company’s efforts in dealing with the SARS outbreak, THAI received a letter from the World Health Organization (WHO) commending it for responsible steps taken to protect passenger safety and reduce opportunity of contracting SARS. Thai airways also clean all the area in the plane from every flight in order to reduce the risk of spreading virus as much as possible.

The Company will coordinate with the Ministry of Public Health and closely monitor the pandemic, prepared to strictly adhere to public health directives put forth by the Ministry of Public Health, especially with regard to the Company’s international flight arrivals and departures to high-risk nations, such as the United States of America, which THAI operates daily on the return route Bangkok-Los Angeles.

My reaction: Thailand is moving forward to face with swine flu with the highest policy.

1. Both AOT and Thai airways are ready to prevent swine flu in Thailand by tightening the screening process of people from all over the world.
2. The preventive measure have been increased to maximum level.
3. Plan to buy 10 infrared thermal scanners worth 150 million Baht.
4. Prepared closely monitoring of 14 people coming back from Mexico since they arrived to Thailand in order to prevent the risk.
5. Buy ingredients for Oseltamivir to produce two million tablets of the influenza drug.
6. Four million masks are ready for public distribution, and all hospitals nationwide are ready to set up swine-flu screening centers as was done for bird flu before.
7. Comparing the method of handle H1N1 virus with SARS.

Conclusion:

Thailand is now using this opportunity to show the readiness of prevention of swine flu which is spreading around the world, in order to represent the high security of protecting everyone in Thailand and increase the reliability of Thailand.

Not only AOT but also Thai airways are using this opportunity to help Thailand from economic crisis by providing good services that may lead the increasing number of travelers.

People from worldwide will enjoy traveling to Thailand rather than other risk countries.
These steps of prevention from the government are really helpful in order to protect Thailand not to become a risk country of the 2009 flu.

To maintain Thailand to be a safe country from swine flu and not only Thais get the benefits but everyone in Thailand will live without worry of this virus.

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2009-04-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

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Prevention of Swine Flu in Thailand

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