INFLUENZA 2009 - Team to study first fatalities

Doctors need to know more about risk factors

A Public Health Ministry academic team will today consider the risk factors behind the first two deaths linked to type A (H1N1) influenza that have been reported since the virus hit Thailand on late April.
The move came after the Ministry's Bureau of Epidemiology reported a 42-year-old-man, who had not been categorised as a high risk patient of influenza A (H1N1), died on Saturday morning. Citing information from the United States and Mexico, Dr Tawee Chotepitayasunon, chairman of the ministry's influenza academic team, said high risk patients of influenza A (H1N1) - children under five, pregnant women and elderly people with chronic conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes - would be tested. But this victim, who recently returned from abroad, had no congenital disease. He fell ill on June 18 with fever and a running nose. He had gone to a pub in Bangkok with friends before developing flu-like symptoms.He was admitted to hospital on June 23 with a high fever, coughing and pneumonia. He was also given oseltamivir, but his condition worsened, and he died on Saturday morning. The other victim, a 40-year old woman, a heart patient, died on June 20 after five days of treatment." We need to know how people with mild symptoms progress to severe symptoms and die. We need more research to find out the other risk factors indicating a change in health conditions when the virus infects humans," he said. " We hope we will come up with new information that helps us know clearly about this new flu virus as we now only know about its spread and severity," he said.Yesterday the Public Health Ministry reported 80 new cases of Type-A (H1N1) influenza cases, lifting the confirmed cases in Thailand to 774. Of the new cases, 68 are students and three from the general public, he said, adding that 20 patients are still hospital. Another three cases were under the close watch of doctors, including two navy conscripts in Chonburi province. Department of Medical Service's director-general, Dr Rawat Vitruthvej said one navy conscript is in critical condition with difficulty breathing. His condition has improved slightly and he is being supported by a medical team from Rajavithi hospital. A-57-year-old woman, admitted to private hospital, is gradually recovering but remains in intensive care unit.Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai urged provincial health officers and medical workers at hospitals nationwide to be ready for the type-A (H1N1)influenza. " Medical teams should be prepared to respond immediately for cases in critical condition," he said. He also expressed concern over seasonal flu infection among students as the virus has already spread and infected 10,000 people across country. However, he was certain the Public Health Ministry could handle the pandemic and contain the spread of the virus, despite the death at the weekend.However former deputy health minister Vicharn Meenchainant said the government has failed to control the spread of disease, charging it had hidden information and delayed treatment for patients with the new flu virus."The government is trying to inform the public the disease has no severity, but it is still spreading and has a virulence higher than seasonal flu. Moreover, it is not clear use of the current antiviral drug can control the disease," he said."More and more people will die if the government does not take action for this situation seriously," he said. Witthaya said the Public Health Ministry did not hide any information over the spread of disease. " We should not politicise this issue as it is one of the life and death of people," he said.