No Swine Flu in Thailand . . . . Yet

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST:

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Government Says No Swine Flu Outbreak Yet

 

No swine flu cases have been reported in Thailand, but relevant units are prepared for potential swine flu outbreak, Public Health Minister Wittaya Kaewparadai said on Sunday.

 

The minister said he assigned the Bureau of Epidemiology to closely monitor the situation and coordinate with the World Health Organisation and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (WHO and CDC) to deal with this respiratory disease.

 

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Prat Boonyawongvirot said people can catch swine flu from close proximity to pigs, but they cannot catch it from eating pork.

 

Its symptoms are similar to the symptoms of human influenza, such as high fever, body aches, coughing, and runny nose.

 

The Public Health Ministry asked people with these symptoms to wear protective masks and avoid going to public areas.

 

The ministry also warned people, who may travel to Mexico or the US states of California and Texas during this period, to follow the situation closely and be careful of the swine flu outbreaks.

 

Referring to the swine flu which had taken many human lives in some countries such as Mexico, the US and China, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said there were no reports of deaths from this disease in the country yet.

 

Relevant units will meet from Monday to Wednesday to prevent the disease from spreading to the country.

 

He urged people to avoid eating half-cooked pork at the moment and they should wear safety masks and gloves should they come into contact with pigs.

 

Disease Control Department director-general Somchai Jakkraphan said many countries had prepared stringent measures to deal with the swine flu outbreak.

 

If the outbreak could not be contained in a country, the World Health Organisation may declare a public health emergency for that particular country, he said.

 

He insisted people cannot contract the virus from eating pork.

 

People can inquire about swine flu by calling the Disease Control Department at 0-2590-3333 around the clock.

 

Other countries across Asia, which have had to grapple with deadly viruses like H5N1 bird flu and SARS in recent years, had already snapped into action. At airports and other border checkpoints in Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, officials screened travellers for any flu-like symptoms.

 

In China, officials assured people that conventional measures in place were adequate to contain the new threat.

 

"The measures we've been taking against bird flu are effective for this new type of disease," said Wang Jing of the China Inspection and Quarantine Science Research Institute, in comments carried by state media.

 

Argentina declared a health alert, requiring anyone arriving on flights from Mexico to advise if they had flu-like symptoms.

 

Russia imposed curbs on meat imports from Mexico, some U.S. states and the Caribbean, while the United Arab Emirates said it was considering similar action.

 

In Brussels, the European Commission said no cases of the new swine flu had been reported so far in Europe. "Until now we have no reported cases in Europe. We are following very closely the situation as it evolves," a spokeswoman for the European Union executive said.

 

[Guest fountainhall]

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Prat Boonyawongvirot said people can catch swine flu from close proximity to pigs, but they cannot catch it from eating pork

 

That's a rather stupid statement that could give a wrong impression. What about being in close proximity to someone who already has the virus? I also reckon the Permaneht Secretary might have avoided some concern by rephrasing the comment to read: ". . . can catch swine flu from close proximity to infected pigs."

 

I do agree however that countries in this region with experience of bird 'flu and SARS are probably better able to cope than those in many other parts of the world.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

"close proximity" would have to be touching the pig's saliva or shit. I have never been that close to a four legged pig.

[Gaybutton]

I have never been that close to a four legged pig.

What about a three-legged one?

 

I guess this disease gives a whole new meaning to "happy as a pig in shit."

[Guest lvdkeyes]

What about a three-legged one?

 

I guess this disease gives a whole new meaning to "happy as a pig in shit."

Never a three legged pig, but several two legged ones for sure.

[Guest Hedda]

If it's anything like the bird flu, you can rest assured that the swine flu will be here long before the government admits it. We wouldn't want to scare away what's left of tourism now, would we ?

[Guest lvdkeyes]

What tourism is that?

[Gaybutton]

We wouldn't want to scare away what's left of tourism now, would we ?

Maybe they would. The following is from TNA:

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TEMPERATURE-TESTING DEVICE FOR SWINE FLU BEING INSTALLED AT THAI AIRPORTS

 

BANGKOK, April 27 - Thailand‘s international airports will increase their surveillance to quarantine arriving passengers from Mexico and the United States, where a new strain of deadly swine flu virus has been detected, according to the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH).

 

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai, Disease Control Department Director-General Somchai Chakrabhand, representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and experts from MOPH-US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened on Monday to monitor and lay out measures controlling and preventing the outbreak of the swine flu strain of A/H1N1.

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said that the relevant authorities are evaluating the situation and will propose preventive approaches to the Cabinet on Tuesday.

 

Initially, the health ministry has ordered quarantine station at every international airport, including Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, to install thermo scanners--a device to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico and southern US, according to Mr. Witthaya.

 

He said health card detailing the outbreak of swine flu will be distributed to both departing and arriving passengers.

 

The measures are launched after WHO declared the strain flu outbreak in Mexico and the US a “public health emergency of international concern” on Sunday.

 

The swine flu killed at least 103 Mexicans, while sickening more than 1,600 since April 13. During the past two weeks the virus has also been detected in California and Texas, and 10 New Zealand students were reported to have the swine flu after returning from Mexico.

 

Following the news of the outbreak, the Thai health ministry advised Thais to avoid travel to Mexico and the southern US. An emergency centre have been set up to monitor the outbreak and give information regarding the swine flu to the Thai citizen.

 

The Livestock Department also informed the animal immigration across the nation, especially those at Suvarnabhumi Airport and ports to delay imports of swine from Mexico and the US.

 

The Thai public health minister added that Thailand is closely monitoring the situation.

 

WHO’s emergency committee will meet on Monday to consider whether to raise the pandemic alert phase which will be followed by the issuance of specific recommendations to countries on how to halt the disease.

 

Meanwhile, veterinarian Rungroj Thanawongnuvej, an expert on swine flu virus from Chulalongkorn University, asserted that the virus has not been detected in Thailand.

 

Dr. Rungroj said that the virus is originated from pigs but is being spread through human-to-human transmission.

 

The difference between bird flu and swine flu, Dr. Rungroj said, is that swine flu is less deadly, with a lower proportion of fatalities.

 

Bird flu virus affects all systems of human body, but for that of swine, it only affects the respiratory system. However patients can die if the respiratory system malfunctions.

 

A person with swine flu virus will demonstrate flu-like symptoms including fever, runny nose, coughing, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea, said Dr. Rungroj, who noted most Mexican victims who had the swine flu virus might have had low body immunity.

 

He said the American patients instead recovered from the illness due to the better hygiene and immediate treatment.

 

Dr. Rungroj however insisted that cooked pork will not transmit the virus to consumer.

 

(TNA)

 

[Guest fountainhall]

Initially, the health ministry has ordered quarantine station at every international airport, including Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, to install thermo scanners--a device to test the temperatures of passengers arriving from Mexico and southern US, according to Mr. Witthaya.

 

Hong Kong and Tokyo - and perhaps other regional airports - have had temperature checking equipment in place ever since SARS. Given the fact that there were deaths from bird 'flu in Thailand. it seems extraordinary that the Suvarnabhumi airport authorities decided they did not need it - until now! Better late than never, I suppose!

[Gaybutton]

WHO Raising Swine Flu Alert Level (to Level 4), U.S. says

 

(CNN) -- The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert level in response to the outbreak of swine flu that originated in Mexico.

 

The move to a level four alert indicates the world body has determined the virus is capable of significant human-to-human transmission.

 

Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO assistant director-general, said the move did not mean a pandemic was inevitable. He added the agency would focus efforts on mitigating, rather than containing, the virus.

 

Fukuda said it was too early to predict whether there will be a mild or serious pandemic.

 

More cases were confirmed Monday in the United States, Canada and Europe. The WHO said the U.S. has confirmed 47 cases, Mexico 26, Canada six and Spain one. Two more were confirmed in Scotland.

 

In Mexico the virus is believed to be responsible for at least 149 deaths -- though most of those have not yet been confirmed -- while almost 2,000 have been hospitalized.

 

Some health experts fear the disease could become a pandemic, partly because it has killed young, healthy adults in Mexico.

 

Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos said, "The number of cases, unfortunately, will continue to increase."

 

Mexico closed all schools until at least May 6 to help curb the spread of swine flu, officials announced Monday.

 

A U.S. federal official confirmed the U.S. figure -- up from 20 with all the new cases coming from a New York school where eight cases were previously confirmed.

 

The European Union's health commissioner Monday urged people "to avoid non-essential travel to the areas which are reported to be in the center of the clusters" of a swine flu outbreak.

 

Andorra Vassiliou's latest comments soften an earlier statement urging people "to avoid traveling to both Mexico and the United States due to concerns about swine flu."

 

The EU issued a statement clarifying that Vassiliou's remarks were her personal comments and that travel advisories can be issued only by member states and not by the EU itself.

 

The first case of swine flu in Europe was confirmed Monday in Spain. Health minister Trinidad Jimenez said a 23-year-old man who returned from studying in Mexico last Wednesday tested positive for the virus at a hospital in the country's southeast.

 

At least 16 more cases are being treated as possible swine flu, Jimenez told a news

 

"We do not have an emergency situation in Spain, but we are working to prevent any possible development, and we are taking action in accord with the World Health Organization," she said.

 

Spain's Ministry of Health has urged travelers recently returned from Mexico and the U.S. to be on the lookout for symptoms of the virus, including fever, coughing and respiratory problems.

 

A few hours later, Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said, "Tests have demonstrated conclusively that the two Scottish cases of swine flu are positive."

 

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: "We are concerned that this virus could cause a new influenza pandemic. It could be mild, in its effects, or potentially be severe. We do not yet know which way it will go. But we are concerned that, in Mexico, most of those who died were young and healthy adults.

 

Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, said the EU warning was "not warranted."

 

President Barack Obama said Monday that the outbreak was a "cause for concern" but not a "cause for alarm."

 

He said the federal government was "closely monitoring" emerging cases and had declared a public health emergency as a "precautionary tool" to ensure the availability of adequate resources to combat the spread of the virus.

Health Library

 

Israel and New Zealand, where 22 students and three teachers were quarantined after returning for a three-week trip to Mexico, are also investigating suspected cases. South Korea says it will test travelers arriving from the U.S.

 

Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease that usually affects pigs. It is caused by a type-A influenza virus. The current strain is a new variation of an H1N1 virus, which is a mix of human and animal versions.

 

When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it harder to treat or fight off because people have no natural immunity.

 

The symptoms are similar to common flu. They include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

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The virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes around another person. People can become infected by touching something with the flu virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.

 

In 1968, a "Hong Kong" flu pandemic killed about 1 million people worldwide. And in 1918, a "Spanish" flu pandemic killed as many as 100 million people.

[Guest GaySacGuy]

The cost for the drugs used for this flu are going upward very fast:

 

Tamiflu 10 pills

Sunday $70 Monday $104.99 Tuesday Drug expiration 10/09 $99.99 2010+ 149.99

Tamiflu 30 pills same info as above $240 $299.99 $299.99 $449.99

 

Relenza Five pill rotodisk (1 dose) Mon $104.99 Tues. Now $174.99

Three rotodisk (3 dose) Mon $314.99 Tues Now $524.99

 

The relenza is up a whopping $210 for three doses in one day.

 

The bad part is that it is probably going higher, and may get to the point that it is unavailable. Go Figure!!

 

Has anyone priced these in Thailand??? This is from Drugdelivery.ca, which delivers worldwide from several different pharmacies.

[Guest fountainhall]

The cost for the drugs used for this flu are going upward very fast

 

It's called capitalism!

 

I still have 2 packs of Tamiflu purchased 3 1/2 years ago. The drug has a 5 year shelf-life. An expiry date this year will be OK provided it has been stored correctly and you reckon this will all be over quite soon.

 

One pack of 10 pills is sufficient to combat 'flu in one person, as is one pack of the five pill Relenza rotodisk. But if you buy Relenza, make sure you read and understand the instructions when you get it - not once you have the 'flu, because the rotodisk is a little complicated.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

It's called capitalism!

Oh! I thought it was called price gouging.

[Guest fountainhall]

I thought it was called price gouging

 

Exactly - capitalism! You price to the market.

[Gaybutton]

Has anyone priced these in Thailand???

I will if the disease makes it to Thailand. So far, according to the media, it hasn't. Is there a generic name for any of these medications?

[Gaybutton]

Exactly - capitalism! You price to the market.

I agree more with lvdkeyes on this one. If the price for these medications had been steady until the outbreak of this disease, and then the prices suddenly shot through the roof, then in my opinion the drug companies are taking advantage of people's fears. To me, that's price gouging.

 

The next logical question is whether anyone knows whether these medications would really do any good against the disease. If not, then what would be the point of buying these meds at all?

 

Does anyone remember the Dustin Hoffman - Morgan Freeman movie called "Outbreak"? The similarities are frightening.

[Guest GaySacGuy]

Nothing like a lot of politics in the middle of a medical emergency. Not only is Mexico now trying to blame Europe...no Asia....uh China....well really the US!!! On top of that the GOP in the US won't allow the secratary of Health and Human Services to be confirmed, and they were responsible for cutting 900 million dollars from the stimulus plan for pndemic protection.

 

What a cluster f74k!!!

 

 

"Patient Zero" Identified in Mexican Flu Outbreak?

 

Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova announced Monday evening that officials have identified who they believe to be the earliest known case of the swine flu outbreak: A four-year-old boy in the village of La Gloria, Veracruz, near the huge Granjas Carroll hog operation, which is co-owned by Smithfield Foods of Virginia. But Mexican hog industry leaders and the Governor of Veracruz State argued that the virus originated in China -- and passed through the United States before reaching Mexico.

 

"Government officials today said they believe the swine flu began in a small community next to a large pig farm in the southeastern state of Veracruz, where a four-year-old boy who got sick in April tested positive for the virus," reported ABC News, which called the small village "Ground Zero," and said the deadly virus "somehow spread to Mexico City." (Huffington Post reported this possibility on Sunday)

 

Until now, the first flu death confirmed by Mexican authorities had been a woman in the southern state of Oaxaca, who died on April 13. But Health Secretary Cordova on Monday "suggested an earlier timeline for documented swine flu cases," the Associated Press is reporting.

 

"Cordova said tests now show that a 4-year-old boy contracted the disease at least two weeks earlier in neighboring Veracruz state, where a community has been protesting pollution from a large pig farm," the AP says. "The farm is run by Granjas Carroll de Mexico, a joint venture 50 percent owned by Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, Inc."

 

Company officials said there were no "clinical signs or symptoms" of swine influenza in their vast herds anywhere in Mexico, "But local residents are convinced they were sickened by air and water contamination from pig waste," AP says. "There was a widespread outbreak of a particularly powerful respiratory disease in the area early April, and some people reported being sick as early as February. Local health workers intervened in early April, sealing off the town of La Gloria and spraying to kill off flies they said were swarming through their homes."

 

Cordova said people in the town had normal flu, and only one sample was preserved -- that belonging to the four-year-old boy. "It was only after U.S. and Canadian epidemiologists discovered the true nature of the virus that Mexico submitted the sample for international testing, and discovered what he suffered from," the AP is reporting, adding that the child has recovered and there have been no new cases reported in La Gloria, "But epidemiologists want to take a closer look at pigs in Mexico as a potential source of the outbreak."

 

A UN team of animal health experts is flying in from Rome to, "examine what surveillance systems are in place to detect swine flu, and review historical data on previous viruses identified in the country," AP says, adding that farmers will be interviewed.

 

Meanwhile, The Wall St. Journal reported Monday night that the Mexican government is testing Smithfield hogs in Mexico, though the huge company insists that its animals are not involved.

 

"We are very comfortable that our pork is safe," Smithfield president and chief executive Larry Pope told the newspaper. "This is not a swine issue. This is a human-to-human issue." He said Mexican agents had already paid site visits to some Smithfield facilities to test hogs and to "confirm that there is 'no incidence of this virus on our farms.'" Pope said that recent internet postings speculating on the origin of the new virus were "rumors," and repeated that, "We don't have any reason to believe that this has anything to do with Smithfield at all."

 

"We know of no pigs that are sick, no people on those farms that are sick and no people in our plants" who are sick, he said.

 

Meanwhile, the Governor of the State of Veracruz, Fidel Herrera, told reporters on Monday that the new virus originated in Asia, and "therefore it is not related to agricultural activity in the area." He said the virus began in China, and from there passed through the United States directly to Mexico City.

 

And according to El Universal newspaper, officials at Granjas Carroll México are now claiming that "the virus is of Eurasian origin -- and the first cases were found in the United States, making Mexico the receptor nation, more than the generator, of this influenza." No evidence was published to back up that claim, which runs contrary to statements made by nearly all international public health officials.

 

Also reported in the Mexican press today, Smithfield and Granjas Carroll have agreed to adopt government recommendations to "begin reinforcing its biosecurity measures to prevent workers and animals from being infected, the newspaper Reforma said.

 

Reforma also reported that Villagers in La Gloria are being threatened, harassed and even jailed for speaking out against the hog giant.

 

[Guest fountainhall]

If the price for these medications had been steady until the outbreak of this disease, and then the prices suddenly shot through the roof, then in my opinion the drug companies are taking advantage of people's fears. To me, that's price gouging.

 

It's not the drug companies - it's the on-line pharmacies. I called my brother (who is a doctor) yesterday. He checked and confirmed not only are there plenty of supplies of Tamiflu in the UK licensed pharmacies at present, prices have not changed in recent weeks. But people are panicking and the on-line stores, which are very good at lowering prices when they want to stimulate demand, now find they have a product which the public perceives to be in short supply. Ergo the price is pushed up till supply and demand are in equilibrium. In my book, that's capitalism.

 

The next logical question is whether anyone knows whether these medications would really do any good against the disease. If not, then what would be the point of buying these meds at all?

 

As I mentioned in the other swine 'flu thread which was started earlier in The Beer Bar forum, the US governemt announced at a White House Press Conference on Sunday that it had released something like 25 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza from its stockpile. This would seem to indicate that someone in the government believes these drugs will have some effect. These are not vaccines - they merely alleviate symptoms and help recovery after infection.

 

One point that has struck me as I read all the latest news. Those who have died from this 'flu are almost without exception healthy adults between the ages of approx. 20 - 50. 'Flu outbreaks generally kill the most vulnerable in society first - children and the elderly. I wonder why this one is different.

[Guest fountainhall]

Mexico now trying to blame Europe...no Asia....uh China....well really the US!

 

Once all this dies down, I will not be surprised if the actual source is indeed found to be China - probably Guangdong province in the south. Both SARS and bird 'flu originated there. A couple of years ago, I recall reading part of an article from Britain's medical journal, The Lancet, which suggested that this would likely be the source of any future 'flu pandemic. The reason? There are so many small communities where animals and people live in extremely close proximity to one another that it is too easy for a virus to jump the species barrier. Time will tell.

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST:

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Pork Sales Take a Beating

 

Published: 28/04/2009

 

Consumer demand for pork has plummeted after the swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the rising cost of pork products.

 

In Phichit's Muang district, more than 20 pork stalls at a downtown fresh market were quiet yesterday.

 

As well as the flu scare, the high price of pork in the province - which sold for 130 baht a kilogramme yesterday - prompted people to buy other kinds of meat.

 

The price is expected to continue to rise, which will further hurt the pork trade in the province.

 

Supawan Saengtarn, a butcher and retailer, said high prices and the flu scare had lowered the demand for pork. She said only one pig was butchered a day, compared with three pigs a day before news of the outbreak.

 

In downtown Lampang, Renu Baebpaen, 40, a pork retailer in the Lak Muang fresh market, said the news that people had died of the swine flu and the price of pork at 120 baht a kilo had scared customers off.

 

In Chiang Mai's Muang district, sales of moo kata (barbecued pork) joints have also been affected by the news of the flu outbreak.

 

Chonticha Kaewsao, a supervisor at a local moo kata restaurant, said even though the virus had not spread to Thailand, it was important that the media present the news in a way that does not cause panic.

 

In Buri Ram and Si Sa Ket, the flu scare has caused many pork shops to close their doors.

 

In Yasothon, fish vendors were enjoying brisk sales as many consumers opted for fish, which was cheaper.

 

In Pattaya, pork vendors at several fresh markets complained of a marked drop in sales. They called for state action to fix the problem and to find ways to prevent the spread of the swine flu.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

With the drop in pork sales, "logically" the price should also drop based on the supply and demand principle, but TIT, so we will see.

[Gaybutton]

I wonder why this one is different.

Ok, whether we think of it as capitalism or price gouging, the real issues are availability, affordability, and whether it really works in the first place. Do you agree with me on that?

 

Unfortunately in Thailand, as you can see from the article above, people are starting to avoid buying pork products. That's sad for the industry considering the fact that, as it was with bird flu, you don't get the disease from handling pork products or eating pork. Also, so far the disease hasn't shown up in Thailand at all.

 

I certainly would be among the last to know or understand why the disease seems to affect the age bracket it does, but up to now that's the way it's been.

 

With the drop in pork sales, "logically" the price should also drop based on the supply and demand principle, but TIT, so we will see.

I certainly agree with you on that. "Logic" and "Thailand" are almost oxymoron. The bars, when business dropped, raised their prices. The banks, right in the middle of a tourism crisis, raised foreign ATM card transaction fees to 150 baht per transaction. Based on that, I wouldn't be surprised if pork prices rise instead of drop.

[Guest fountainhall]

the real issues are availability, affordability, and whether it really works in the first place. Do you agree with me on that?

 

Yes, totally. Interestingly I have not yet heard any medical opinion actually confirm that taking Tamiflu or Relenza will actually make one better. And until then i assume that as they were developed specifically for bird 'flu, there has to be some doubt.

[Guest HeyGay]

Its a bit late its arrived in thailand all ready?

 

 

Probable case of swine flu detected, quarantined at Chulalongkorn Hospital

A 42-year-old Thai woman returning from Mexico was suspected to have contracted swine influenza and is being quarantined at the Chulalongkorn Hospital, sources said.

 

The sources said the woman returned from Mexico early this month and became ill.

 

She was admitted to the hospital Tuesday.

 

The Nation

 

[Gaybutton]

Its a bit late its arrived in thailand all ready?

Let's hope she's the only one and hasn't spread it to anyone else.