Thailand had one more death case due to the A/H1N1
Thailand had one more death case due to the A/H1N1 contraction, bringing the country’s death toll from the new virus to 190, a senior official at the Public Health Ministry said Wednesday.
Currently, the country is experiencing the second wave of the A/ H1N1 outbreak, hence the ministry has been in the process of importing some two million doses of the A/H1N1 vaccine, Paijit Warachit, public health permanent secretary, said.
Some 20,000 doses of the A/H1N1 vaccine of the total two million doses have already arrived at the ministry and this first batch is now under a registration process, Doctor Paijit said.
It is expected the vaccine will be injected to the most risky group, who are those working in the country’s public health sector, Doctor Paijit said.
In a related development, Thailand will conduct its first A/ H1N1 influenza vaccine trial on Friday, Doctor Wichai Chokwiwat, chairman of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, disclosed Tuesday.
The A/H1N1 vaccine, which will be used with volunteers on this Friday, is made in Thailand, Doctor Wichai said.
Thailand had its first two confirmed patients on May 12, and according to the World Health Organization, Thailand ranked 33rd as the country that has been hit by the deadly new virus.
TYPE A (H1N1)
Influenza cases reported in pigs
BANGKOK: — The Agriculture Ministry has found some pigs coming down with a variation of the type-A (H1N1) influenza.
“However, their number is not high. We should be able to contain it to just some areas,” the ministry’s permanent secretary, Yukol Limlamthong, said yesterday.
He said the Livestock Development Department would be trying to determine how the infections happened.
More details will be revealed when the Agriculture Ministry holds a press conference today.
Disease Control Department (DCD) director-general Dr Manit Thiratantikanont said people should now avoid getting into close contact with pigs or animals with flu symptoms.
“It’s easy for transmissions to take place,” he warned.
DCD deputy director-general Dr Somchai Nijpanich said as the influenza virus usually could spread from humans to animals and vice versa, it was possible that the type-A (H1N1) would be able to do the same.
“We have to monitor the movement closely. We will also need to warn farmers about the risk,” he said.
Since the outbreak of the type-A (H1N1) influenza earlier this year, it has claimed 190 lives in Thailand. One death was reported recently, signalling a second wave of the outbreak has already started.
The Public Health Ministry has now announced that the vaccine against the type-A (H1N1) virus will be available to Thais from January 11 onward.
There will be 2 million doses in stock.
The DCD said the vaccine will be given on a priority basis to health professionals who have to treat patients, pregnant women, obese people, people with severe disabilities, and people with chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart diseases.
Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodi yesterday sought to assure that the vaccine for Thais would be safe and efficient.
Public doubts about the vaccine grew after it was reported yesterday that thousands of almost similar doses for children were recalled in the United States. The recalling took place after tests showed they might not be strong enough to protect against the virus.
“The vaccine for us will be from France, not the US,” the deputy public health minister explained.
So far, the manufacturer in both the US and France is Sanofi Pasteur.
“The problem in the US took place during the distribution process but Thai authorities are going to ensure that the storage, the distribution and the transport of the vaccines here will be of good standard,” Manit said.
DCD director-general Dr Manit said the vaccines should be kept in a temperature range of between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.
“My agency is now preparing guidelines on the vaccination for hospitals. They should be ready before the end of this week,” he said.