TYPE A (H1N1)-Decline in new cases, deaths

Minister cites rising awareness about the virus

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said yesterday that the number of infections and deaths caused by the typeA (H1N1) virus has dropped over the past week, mostly because people were more aware of the disease and were not panicking.A source from the ministry said yesterday that so far 10,045 people have been infected and 81 have succumbed to the virus. However, he said the ministry's deputy permanent secretary Dr Paijit Warachit will announce the official numbers at a press conference today.Last week, the ministry said 65 had died since the disease broke out in May, and 8,879 people had been infected. He said the number of cases this week had dropped because not only were people not panicking, they were also seeking treatment immediately. He also complimented health care volunteers, especially those in Ubon Ratchathani province, for keeping an eye out for infections.Meanwhile, Witthaya said his ministry was still vigilant because even people with no underlying diseases had succumbed to the disease.Deputy director of the Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Dr Veerasak Kaitpadungkul, said an 11yearold boy had died from the virus yesterday, bringing the total of fatalities in the province to four. The boy was admitted at hospital on August 1 with high fever and troubled breathing. Apparently, he had had a high fever for more than 15 days before he was taken in for treatment, and tested positive to the virus.Meanwhile, Nakhon Ratchasima public health office chief, Dr Chuwit Likhityingwara, said the hospital also admitted two pregnant women with flulike symptoms, and one tested positive to the virus.One of the women, a 16-year-old who was sixmonths pregnant, had a miscarriage and died from severe pneumonia. She did not test positive to the virus.The second woman, an 18yearold who is also sixmonths pregnant, is in critical condition. She has been transferred to the Ramathibhodi hospital and is being treated with the antiviral zanamivir. Her unborn baby is in normal condition. Chiang Mai public health office deputy chief, Surasing Visaruthrat, said more than 10 healthcare workers had already contracted infections either at work or at home, but all had made a full recovery.Meanwhile, Witthaya said few clinics nationwide had agreed to dispense the antiviral drug oseltamivir because they did not want to shoulder the burden. He said he would extend the deadline for clinics to join the programme to August 17.Director of the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO), Dr Vitthit Attavejchakul, said his agency will come up with the first dose of the liveattenuated vaccine, even though it has still not undergone animal or human trial.The vaccine was supposed to be tested on humans this month after the National Ethic Committee had given the study its green light.

Source: The Nation