Two Thais, 1 German quarantined

Two more Thais and a German have been put under quarantine after they were found having high temperature and other flu-like symptoms upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said yesterday.

The fourteen Thais, who returned from Mexico, were discharged from Bamrasnaradura Hospital yesterday morning after they tested negative to the Type A(H1N1) virus, he added.

"They need to keep track of their temperatures for a week, avoid close contact with their families and stay away from public places," he said. "They should visit a doctor right away if they start feeling unwell."

Of the two Thais quarantined, one is a 60-year-old Nakhon Sawan native who returned on Saturday from a package tour to six countries, including Egypt, Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. He started showing flu-like symptoms on Sunday and was admitted into Sawan Pracharak Hospital on Monday. He is now under close medical surveillance.

The second Thai quarantined is a 34-year-old Ubon Ratchathani resident who has worked in South Korea for three years and arrived in Bangkok on Friday. He is suffering from a sore throat, headaches as well as muscle pain and has been quarantined at Warin Chamrap district's Fort Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital.

The German quarantined is a 52-year-old woman who arrived at Suvarnabhumi with her husband on their way to Phuket. The infrared thermal scanner found her with a fever of 39 degrees Celsius and she has now been quarantined at Rajvithee Hospital.

Witthaya said all travellers will be tested for fever upon arrival, and if they show any flu-like symptoms or if they have a fever of more than 36 degrees Celsius, they will be quarantined for a few days.

So far, about 279,653 arrivals at Suvarnabhumi have been scanned between April 27 and May 4, and none have tested positive for the Type A(H1N1) virus.

Yesterday, the minister also ordered health agencies to distribute the anti-viral drug, Oseltamivir, and make it available at all foreign embassies in Bangkok and at Thai embassies overseas, especially in affected countries.

According to the World Health Organisation's website, 21 countries have reported 1,085 cases. Mexico has reported 590 confirmed cases of infection, including 25 deaths. The United States has reported 286 confirmed cases, including one death. So far, there has been one confirmed infection each in Austria, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, Colombia, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea and Switzerland; two each in El Salvador and Italy; four each in France and Israel; six in New Zealand; eight in Germany; 18 in the United Kingdom; 54 in Spain and 101 in Canada. No deaths have been reported in these countries so far.

WHO advises no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders, though it would be prudent for people who are ill to delay international travel and seek immediate medical attention. Individuals are also advised to regularly wash their hands thoroughly. There is no risk of infection from the consumption of well-cooked pork and pork products.

In related news, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Brunei, Japan and Vietnam have confirmed that they will send representatives to the Asean+3 Health Minister's Special Meeting on Influenza A(H1N1) which will be held in Bangkok from tomorrow to Friday.

The meeting will focus on controlling the virus in the region, the distribution of the anti-viral drug Oseltamivir and the stockpiling of flu vaccines.

The Public Health Ministry's permanent-secretary Dr Prat Boonyawongvirot said Thai authorities will also propose the production of a vaccine against Type A(H1N1) virus at the meeting.