Practise good hygiene : Health Ministry

As type-A (H1N1) influenza virus cases continue to spread, the Public Health Ministry yesterday alerted health care officers and volunteers to instruct people and communities to practice good personal hygiene - wearing a face mask and frequent hand washing - to prevent flu infection.

Deputy Public Health Minister, Manit Nopamornbodi said most victims had been infected at educational institutions, military camps, and entertainment venues.

The ministry is now reporting three fatalities linked to the influenza which yesterday infected 41 new cases, bringing the total to 1414. Of this number, 1,387 have recovered with only 24 remaining in hospital.

The Public Health Ministry's deputy permanent secretary, Dr Paijit Warachit said two more suspected cases were in a critical condition: a 47-year-old cleaner thought to have contracted the flu virus at his workplace, and a 21-year-old woman suffering from pneumonia and admitted to hospital in Bangkok.

Paijit said confirmation the pair have the influenza A (H1N1) infection is dependent on laboratory test results.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, where more than 27,717 infected cases and 127 deaths had been reported , the H1N1 infection causes a wide range of flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Many people also reported nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhoea.

People can be quite miserable in bed for a few days, but complications rarely occur. However, pregnant women or people with underlying medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, can have a much worse outcome.

As symptoms of the new flu virus are similar to seasonal flu, Dr Tawee Chotepitayasunon, chairman of the ministry's influenza academic team, said people suffering flu-like illness with high fever and body aches for more than three days should undergo treatment at hospital.

The World Health Organisation reported the new flu virus has infected in 70,893 cases, killing 311 people in 116 countries worldwide. The global mortality rate was 0.44 percent.