Public can play important role in preventing spread of flu

The whole exercise has strengthened the country's surveillance system. Without these efforts what kind of barrier can the country set up to prevent an outbreak? Imagine if these things work out, what will be the barrier for country to prevent the outbreak.

Earlier, the Public Health Ministry installed at least six thermal scanners at Suvarnabhumi Airport and other international airports across the country in the hope that the infra-red scanners could detect people who might have high fever and be infected with the new flu virus.

Since the installation of the thermal scanners at international airports across the country, no patient carrying the new flu virus has been detected by the scanners.

Confirmation of patients infected with the new flu virus came not through detection by the thermal scanners but through the conscientious action of people who visited hospitals of their own accord and sought diagnosis and medication.

"Thermal scanners could only detect abnormal human temperature. It is not a device to detect the virus infection," said spokesperson Dr Supamit Chunsuttiwat, spokesman of the Disease Control Department, a Thai Public Health Ministry specialist in preventive medicine.

As the new flu virus has shown uncertain symptoms in humans, he said many countries around the world did not use the thermal scanner as the main control and preventive measure.

The Health Ministry had previously learned that eight out of every 10 people infected with the new flu virus walked past the infra-red scanners without being detected.

Supamit said 30,000 people were arriving at the airport daily and while six scanners had been installed, they had to have back-up plans. Health officials estimated about 10,000 passengers a day might come from affected countries.

He assumed that 10 out of every 10,000 passengers might be infected with the new flu virus, all in the incubation period. When they arrived, only two would have been detected by infra-red thermal scanners with symptoms such as a high fever while the rest would not be detected and enter the Kingdom.

"This is a scenario that we picture is close to the real situation. While we've done our best to detect infected people at the airport, we have only a small chance of finding them all," he said.

Hence it was important that health workers, volunteers and members of the community were ready to respond quickly to monitor and control the spread of the disease.

If they find any person or tourist who had travelled recently from an affected country, with flu-like symptoms and high fever, they should immediately take them to a hospital to get medical care or flu treatment.

An effective surveillance system requires an effective response from the public. To reduce the chances of the disease spreading, people should increase their knowledge about the new flu virus and take appropriate self-care measures.

However, after learning that the virus showed only mild symptoms in humans, Dr Paijit Warachit, deputy permanent secretary at the Public Health Ministry and responsible for preventing an outbreak of A (H1N1), said the ministry would hold a meeting tomorrow to propose new measures to the national committee. The panel is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart.

Dr Kamnuan Unchusak, a senior health expert, said the ministry would downgrade the preventive measures at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport such as withdraw some medical workers from the health-check station.

The ministry will maintain its surveillance measures by urging all Thais and foreigners who have recently returned from abroad, and are even mildly feverish, not to attempt self-medication, but to report immediately to a hospital.

Foreign tourists should inform their tour guide immediately to take them to a hospital if they develop flu-like symptoms.

A surveillance system for people who come into close contact with infected persons is also important, to reduce chances of the virus spreading, he said.

On Friday, the World Health Organisation reported that the virus had so far infected more than 15,510 people in more than 53 countries and had been linked to 99 deaths.

As well as having confirmed four cases of infection with the virus, the Public Health Ministry is awaiting results of laboratory tests on samples collected from six other people who are now under medical care.