Four subcommittees to tackle A(H1N1) impact, response

BANGKOK, Sept 3 (TNA) – A Ministry of Public Health subcommittee on the strategy to prevent and control Influenza Type A(H1N1) is setting up four subcommittees to address the impact of the virus, according to Paijit Varachit, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health.

Prevention and control subcommittee chair Paijit told reporters after meeting representatives of 16 involved agencies that the agreed to form four smaller panels to address the impact of the virus in four aspects.

–The first committee is responsible for virus prevention in communities as the information showed that the disease had spread in provinces. This committee would be supervised by Interior Ministry.

–The second panel will monitor the mutation of the virus in both humans and animals, the cross-breeding of flu varieties, and drug resistant virus. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives will head the panel while Sciences and Technology, Public Health Ministries and educational institutions will play supportive roles.

–The third committee would target the tourism industry, to rebuild confidence among foreign visitors to Thailand. Ministry of Tourism and Sports will take responsibility.

–The last committee will monitor internet cafes, dormitories, prisons, military bases, and factories to reduce the number of infected patients.

The committees will meet again next week to report the progress of their tasks under their responsibilities, said Dr Paijit.

The Public Health Ministry on Wednesday confirmed 11 new deaths from Influenza Type A(H1N1), bringing the country’s total death toll to 130.

The ministry reported that the outbreak in Bangkok and nearby provinces has decreased, but continues to spread in the provinces, particularly in the countryside in the Northeast and the North.

Patients with the H1N1 virus in the two regions now amounted to two-thirds of all those affected, Dr Paijit said.

However, the number of patients infected with all kinds of flu, who have received medical treatment at hospitals nationwide, has fallen from 18,000 daily in July to 9,000 in August, with 52 per cent living in the countryside. (TNA)