Patients Suffering From Influenza in Thailand On The Rise

BANGKOK, April 27 (TNA) - A total of 30,024 people in Thailand have been suffering from influenza since this January up till April 25, up 36 per cent from the same period last year, while 50 victims have died from the disease, said Permanent Secretary for Public Health Narong Sahametapat on Sunday. Citing official statistics, Dr. Narong said that the situation in the country is alarming because no death report was recorded in 2013. Most of the patients suffered from Influenza Type A (H1N1) virus, considered the most severe and first discovered in 2009 worldwide, including Thailand, he said, adding that most Thais do not have sufficient immune against this deadly disease. In order to prevent the spreading of the virus, the Public Health Ministry has laid out several measures including an establishment of a special unit comprising experts on the disease, Dr. Narong noted. The unit is responsible for providing round-the-clock advice to doctors throughout the country. Also, the ministry will provide a total of three million doses of vaccine to four groups of people who are considered at risk of the disease free of charge nationwide, starting from this May 1 to September 30. This year’s vaccination to people is faster than the previous years because of the rising number of patients, he said, adding that more details will be announced Monday. Dr. Sopon Mekthon, Director-General of the Ministry’s Disease Control Department, said that patients suffering from the deadly virus worldwide totaled between 3 to 5 millions annually and up to approximately 500,000 patients die. Normally, Dr. Sopon said , the virus in Thailand would spread during the rainy and winter seasons. (TNA)