No new A(H1N1) deaths in health ministry’s weekly report

BANGKOK, Jan 27 (TNA) – No new fatalities related to Influenza Type A(H1N1) have occurred during the past week, said the Public Health Ministry in its weekly report.

The country’s total swine flu death toll stands at 198.

Dr Siriwat Thiptharadol, deputy permanent secretary for public health said the ministry targets  finish giving two million doses of vaccines to high risk groups within March.

Meanwhile, 30 health staff were infected with Influenza Type A(H1N1) last week.

Dr Opas Karngawinphong, director of the Bureau of General Communicable Diseases, said 43 more private hospitals are joining the H1N1 vaccine campaign, raising the total number of private hospitals in the vaccination programme for pregnant women to 255.

So far 53,000 people across the country have been vaccinated, while the highest figure, or 2,000 was recorded in the northern province of Chiang Rai.

The public health began its free vaccination programme at state and private hospitals nationwide on January 11 by administering about two million injections to five high-risk groups.

The five groups are women who are more than three months pregnant, persons weighing over 100 kg, the disabled, persons with chronic diseases and public health personnel.

In addition, Dr Opas said, Thailand is conducting research to test efficiency of the flu drug Peramivir used in Japan and some other countries. The Food and Drug Administration will order it to treat severely ill patients after it registers the drug. (TNA)