Lab tests only for severe cases

Eighty out of 100 samples sent for testing at a hospital laboratory proved positive for the type-A (H1N1) virus that has infected 4,057 Thais and killed 24, Department of Disease Control director-general Dr Somchai Chakra-bhand said yesterday.

Despite the finding, he said there was no need for medical workers to conduct lab tests to confirm the infection, as most patients admitted to hospital already suspected or knew they had caught the virus.

"Only patients with a severe form of influenza will be required to undergo laboratory tests to confirm the infection and design the medical approach to treat the patient," he said.

Somchai was speaking at Government House following a meeting of the national committee for preparedness and control of the influenza pandemic, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachorn-prasart.

The Public Health Ministry yesterday reported three more fatalities that lifted the death toll in Thailand to 24.

Infections rose by 174 new cases, bringing the total to 4,057.

 Dr Paichit Varachit, deputy permanent secretary for health, said a 57-year-old woman was the 22nd victim of the type-A (H1N1) flu, having died on Sunday in a private hospital.

She had been suffering from diabetes for three years and developed flu-like symptoms on July 5 before being admitted to private hospital five days later with fever, coughing and breathlessness. X-rays found she had severe pneumonia.

The 23rd victim was a 67-year-old woman in Bangkok in the final stage of lung cancer. She succumbed to the flu in a Bangkok hospital on Sunday.

 Paichit said the 24th victim was a 32-year-old woman in Samut Sakhon province who suffered from asthma. She developed flu symptoms on July 5 and was admitted to hospital last Saturday with pneumonia.

The ministry is awaiting an autopsy to confirm if the virus was behind the death of a seven-month-old boy in Chiang Mai province. He had fallen ill on July 4 with pneumonia and died last Thursday.