Influenza still under control in Thailand

BANGKOK, March 1 (TNA) - Ten people have died while 7,987 people have been found suffering from influenza in Thailand since the beginning of this year. However, the health ministry says the situation is under control. Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, confirmed earlier reports of influenza outbreak at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital, saying that the disease had spread from a patient staying at the hospital’s special room to hospital officials and other sick people. Less than 10 patients were infected but none of them suffered from acute symptom. Dr. Opas said he believed that the number of patients suffering from influenza would decline when the summer season arrives. He also said that vaccines which would be given to patients in April during an outbreak of various types of influenza virus, now spreading in Hong Kong, could help prevent and reduce the severity of the disease at a certain level. (TNA)