Suspected flu cases in Chiang Mai

Passengers from influenza A(H1N1)hit countries had to pass through a special check lane at the Chiang Mai Airport yesterday.

A nineyearold boy and a woman have been quarantined in Chiang Mai as a precautionary measure against the spread of influenza type A (H1N1).

The boy had just returned from Japan with his family.

"He has aches and pains along with a high fever," Chiang Mai publichealth chief Dr Wattana Kanjanamon said yesterday.

He said the boy's twin brother and mother, who had taken the same trip, could be discharged from hospital, because they had only a low fever.

Meanwhile, San Sai Hospital director Dr Worawut Phowatcharakul revealed a female inpatient was being closely monitored at his facility, because she had a very high fever.

He declined to give more details.

Chiang Mai will host the Youth World Weightlifting Championships from today until Tuesday.

Disease Control Department directorgeneral ML Somchai Chakraphan said health workers would take the temperature of all participants each day.

"If they have a fever, they'll have to follow our diseasecontrol procedures," he said.

In Bangkok, a medical expert revealed the influenza typeA (H1N1) virus was changing its structure rapidly.

"This means there's a risk of it mutating and becoming resistant to available drugs," said Prof Dr Thiravat Hemachudha.

He heads the World Health Organisation's Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine.

He said structural change in other strains has taken years, not months like with this virus.

"So relevant authorities must be fully prepared regarding drugs and vaccines against type A (H1N1)," he said.

Thiravat predicts the new disease will continue to spread, given that the virus had proved very contagious.

He was speaking at a seminar on the new virus strain.

"I don't want people to panic, but I would like them to take good care of themselves. Proper care reduces the risk of contracting the virus by half," Thiravat pointed out.

At the same seminar, Assoc Prof Dr Wasun Chantratita of Mahidol University's Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, revealed his institute had created an allinone test kit for various strains of influenza.

"Using this kit, we can determine whether a patient has caught seasonal human flu, bird flu or type A (H1N1)," he said.

Wasun said the kit would also be able to identify whether the virus that infected the patient would be resistant to the antiviral drug oseltamivir.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai separately said the Kingdom already had adequate measures for guarding against the spread of influenza type A (H1N1).

"Our focus is on educating people. All health volunteers will play a role here," he said.

Regarding a recent outbreak of chikungunya in the South, Witthaya said that virus had spread from the southernmost provinces, where infected mosquitoes were often found on rubber plantations.

"We're going to hold a workshop on this in the next few days in Songkhla," Witthaya said.

He said chikungunya had not resulted in any deaths in Thailand. If patients seek medical help, they can enjoy a full recovery within three days.