Swine Flu Inspections and Quarantines????

[Guest GaySacGuy]

I am currently in the US, and return to Thailand on July 2. I have been reading about many quarentines and flight delays due to the inspections for swine flu on flights into Japan and China. I will be flying United via Narita Japan.

 

Has anyone flown through Japan recently?? If so, could you let us know what the delays/inspections/etc. that may have happened when you arrived in Japan.

 

Thanks in advance for any info!!

[Guest ButterballBruce]

Yes, this is becoming a serious problem.

[Guest buckeroo2]

Not an answer to your question - just an observation - I saw lots of Chinese passengers wearing masks on my EVA flight last week - reminded me of the SARS days.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Narita was just a connection for me, but they gave us forms to fill out before we departed the plane. This was just last month. I filled out the forms, deplaned, went thru security again, but no one ever collected the forms! I did see some masks, but they were only worn by Asians.

 

There we about 12 very simple questions on the form, some relating to contact with infected people, farms and livestock.

 

There were absolutely no delays or inspections.

[Guest fountainhall]

I have been reading about many quarentines and flight delays due to the inspections for swine flu on flights into Japan and Chin

 

China is now sending inspectors on to every incoming flight to check the temperature of each passenger before disembarking. It is very time consuming. As far as I know, Tokyo, Hong Kong and most other airports are only asking passengers to complete health declaration forms that include flight and seat number so they an contact you quickly if anyone on the flight comes down with the swine 'flu. Masks are becoming much more common, but as others have noted, they really are of very little use.

[Guest laurence]

A couple of weeks go I flew through Narita to BKK. Health workers wearing protective garments and masks went through the entire plane checking body temperatures with a camera like device.

The delay was about one half hour. If they had found someone with a high temperature I could envision a quarrantine of the entire aircraft. A scary thought!

[Guest fountainhall]

It does seem that the WHO is about to declare the swine 'flu outbreak a global pandemic. If this happens, we can expect airport checks to get more strict and airport delays to get longer. I would think it wise to allow for longer connecting times through intermediate airports when planning your international travel. Hopefully airlines will be taking this into account, but changing departure schedules at short notice is a really tough act due to crew maximum working hours, aircraft placements etc.

 

In addition to face masks, packs of antiseptic hand wipes are being recommended. Using these on your hands immediately after you cough or sneeze kills the bacteria droplets that can otherwise stay on your hands for some minutes and perhaps then infect others.

 

And for those who have managed to obtain a course of Tamiflu and Relenza, always keep these with you when you travel. They don't protect you from getting the 'flu, but they do alleviate the symptoms and aid recovery. In Britain last week, I tried to obtain some more supplies, but my doctor (my brother!) said that all supplies are now controlled by the government. I expect this is true almost everywhere.

[Up2u]

Swine flu hits Pattaya. From the Bangkok Post:

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1458...0-new-flu-cases

 

and the Nation:

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/06/11...al_30104897.php

[Guest shockdevil]

One of my friend from Thailand just contacted me in a panic about Swine Flu in Pattaya. He is telling me that he i going out to buy masks for venturing out in public.

 

I know that this is a bad strain of the the flu but I think the WHO has needlessly scared the world. My friend is coming to USA for the first time and is scared to death of the Swine flu. Now that it is Pattaya he is in super panic mode.

 

I pray that he does not show up at the airport wearing a surgical mask. Unless it is one of those specially designed respirator masks it will do nothing more than make him look paranoid.

 

Is TamiFlu readily available there in Pattaya? I asked him to get some and keep nearby if he gets symptoms.

 

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE:

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24 Confirmed Cases of Swine Flu Here in Pattaya

 

We can now confirm that Swine Flu has arrived here in Pattaya. This devastating news was confirmed in a press conference held at Pattaya City Hall on Thursday by Khun Wittaya, Thailand’s Public Health Minister. He confirmed that a total of 24 cases of Swine Flu have been detected and all those infected are now under strict quarantine to ensure that the disease can be controlled.

 

17 infected people are staff members of the Star Dice Discotheque in Naklua. The venue was checked following the news that Taiwanese Tourists who returned home after a trip to Pattaya had gone to the discotheque during their stay here in Pattaya. A further 7 infected people were either close friends or family members of the 17 staff members.

 

Over the next few days other large venues including discotheques and pubs will be checked to ensure that the disease does not spread throughout the City. If you do notice symptoms of the flu on yourself or others, you or they must go to Banglamung Hospital which is the local dedicated disease control center.

 

The Public Health Minister also urged all Pattaya residents and Tourists to wear surgical masks for the foreseeable future and we can also confirm that the Star Dice Discotheque in Naklua will be closed until further notice and any other venues affected by the virus will also be given closure orders.

[Guest joseph44]

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE:

_____

 

24 Confirmed Cases of Swine Flu Here in Pattaya

 

We can now confirm that Swine Flu has arrived here in Pattaya. This devastating news was confirmed in a press conference held at Pattaya City Hall on Thursday by Khun Wittaya, Thailand’s Public Health Minister. He confirmed that a total of 24 cases of Swine Flu have been detected and all those infected are now under strict quarantine to ensure that the disease can be controlled.

 

17 infected people are staff members of the Star Dice Discotheque in Naklua. The venue was checked following the news that Taiwanese Tourists who returned home after a trip to Pattaya had gone to the discotheque during their stay here in Pattaya. A further 7 infected people were either close friends or family members of the 17 staff members.

 

Over the next few days other large venues including discotheques and pubs will be checked to ensure that the disease does not spread throughout the City. If you do notice symptoms of the flu on yourself or others, you or they must go to Banglamung Hospital which is the local dedicated disease control center.

 

The Public Health Minister also urged all Pattaya residents and Tourists to wear surgical masks for the foreseeable future and we can also confirm that the Star Dice Discotheque in Naklua will be closed until further notice and any other venues affected by the virus will also be given closure orders.

 

Upon my arrival in Thailand on the 1st of May, we were warned by a hand-out in the Air Berlin plane, that masks would be distributed at suvarnabuhmi Airport and that public transport employees would wear them also.

Until now, 11-6-2009, no sign what so ever of any mask.

 

Not a bad idea to buy some inclduing some TamiFlu.

Question: Does it make sence to start with TamiFlu as a precaution?

[Guest fountainhall]

Not a bad idea to buy some inclduing some TamiFlu.

Question: Does it make sence to start with TamiFlu as a precaution?

 

Buy it - if you can find it. Unfortunately governments have requisitioned most supplies and it is unlikely you will find the genuine medication anywhere now.

 

No, medical experts all agree it makes no sense to use it in advance. It only works once you have the 'flu.

[Gaybutton]

WHO Declares Swine Flu Pandemic

 

(CNN) -- The World Health Organization raised the swine flu alert Thursday to its highest level, saying H1N1 has spread to enough countries to be considered a global pandemic.

 

Increasing the alert to Level 6 does not mean that the disease is deadlier or more dangerous than before, just that it has spread to more countries, the WHO said.

 

As of Wednesday evening, the virus had spread to 72 countries, the health agency said. There were 25,288 confirmed cases and 139 deaths. The United States had 13,217 cases and 27 deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

 

Also Thursday, authorities in Hong Kong ordered the closure of all elementary schools, kindergartens and day care centers in the city after 12 students were found to be infected with the virus.

 

Authorities have not determined the source of the infection, said Hong Kong's Chief Executive Donald Tsang. This makes it the first cluster of swine flu cases in the city without a link to someone who had traveled overseas.

 

Thursday's declaration of a pandemic by the WHO made this the first flu pandemic in 41 years.

 

In Hong Kong, the schools and day care centers were told to close for 14 days as investigators tried to identify the source of the infection, said Tsang, the chief executive.

 

The health department will decide after two weeks whether or not to continue the shutdown.

 

A month ago, Hong Kong quarantined about 300 hotel guests for a week after the first case of the virus was confirmed there.

 

Hong Kong's abundance of caution stems from the government's unwillingness to see a repeat of the SARS epidemic in 2004, which killed nearly 300 people.

 

Also on Thursday, Israel's health ministry announced that the number of people diagnosed with swine flu there was 68.

 

Health officials have begun using the virus' clinical name -- H1N1 -- to reflect that it's actually a combination of several different types of flu and to reduce confusion about whether eating pork can spread the virus. It cannot.

 

The number of cases continues to grow in Britain, Japan and Australia -- all of them outside the Americas, where the virus was first detected in April.

 

[Gaybutton]

Does anyone know whether you become immune once you have had the disease or whether it is the type of disease you can catch again and again?

[Guest thaiworthy]

Does anyone know whether you become immune once you have had the disease or whether it is the type of disease you can catch again and again?

 

I would think it'd depend on the person. Some people would be affected adversely and others might well in fact be immune.

 

The comedian George Burns smoked cigars profusely all his life and died at the ripe old age of 100. Go figure.

 

 

[Guest fountainhall]

Does anyone know whether you become immune once you have had the disease or whether it is the type of disease you can catch again and again

 

As all 'flus are different, my hunch is that once you have had a dose of the HINI you probably are immune to that particular strain. But there are so many different strains out there, and so many new ones mutating, that it may not be of much use to you when the next variety comes along.

 

The interesting thing about HINI is that it appears - so far - to be a relatively mid strain. It's far less deadly than bird 'flu or SARS, and seems mostly to be hitting the 25 - 50 age grouping - the very group you'd expect to be best able to fight it off.

[Guest fountainhall]

The comedian George Burns smoked cigars profusely all his life and died at the ripe old age of 100. Go figure.

 

Can't resist adding another George Burns anecdote that is not entirely off track. Doing an interview when he reached 90, he was asked -

 

"Mr. Burns. You are now 90 years old, and I hear you still enjoy the company of young women"

 

"Of course. Everyone loves being with a beautiful young woman"

 

"And you are still performing on stage for an hour each night"

 

"That's correct - and I thoroughly enjoy it"

 

"And I hear that you still smoke several cigars every day"

 

"Nothing better than a fine cigar"

 

"Tell me, Mr. Burns. Can I ask what your doctor thinks about all this activity at your age?"

 

"I haven't the faintest idea. He died some years ago."

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in THE NATION:

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10,000 Could Catch Swine Flu

 

Published on June 13, 2009

 

Minister Warns of Big Leap as Cases are Reported from Several New Areas

 

Thailand could expect more than 10,000 A(H1N1) infections nationwide as the swine flu had already spread across the country, Witthaya Kaewparadai, the public health minister, warned.

 

Authorities reported that the number of infections in Thailand rose to 89, with 43 new confirmed cases added yesterday.

 

Dr Prat Boonyawongvirot permanent secretary for public health, said the latest confirmed cases came for Bangkok, Songkla, Phuket and Pattaya.

 

The Health Ministry also sent officials to collect virus samples from 50 kindergarten students in a school in Pathum Thani for checking after they got high fever.

 

The lab test results were expected to released today.

 

Education Minister, Jurin Laksanavisit said the executives of each school in Bangkok can make their own decision whether to suspend classes during this period.

 

Mahidol University's Faculty of Public Health yesฌterday suspended their classes after learning that one of the students, who recently returned from the US, had been infected with the influenza A (H1N1) and was undergoing treatment at hospital.

 

Meanwhile, the Thai Hotels Association (THA) has urged entertainment venues, pubs and restaurants in the tourist resort of Pattaya to close their outlets temporarily in order to help prevent the spread of A(H1N1) influenza.

 

THA president Chatchawal Supachayanont said bars and restaurants are usually overcrowded so they better suspend business to avoid widespread infections.

 

Earlier, two Taiwanese visitors and local staff were found to have been infected inside a Pattaya discoteque.

 

The World Health Organisation on Thursday raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6, the highest level, but it recommends no restrictions on travel and no border closures.

 

Phurit Maswongsa, Phuket Tourism Association's vice president for marketing, warned that the WHO should be careful that travellers and the general public could be frightened by the higher level of alert.

 

To inform the public of proper measures to cope with the flu, the public health ministry will distribute manuals to all department store and other public venues initially in Bangkok areas.

 

Individuals are also advised to keep themselves fit and if they develop mild symptom sof influenza virus, they should have immediate treatment.

 

Health minsiter Witthaya said the governmenty has ordered two million doses of vaccines from drug manufacturers.

 

The Disease Control Department also has a stock of antiviral Oseltamivir drug for 420,000 people, while Government Pharmaceutical Organisation is preparing to produce an additional 100,000 antiviral drugs for flu pandemic.

 

Oseltamivir will be prescribed only to children age under 5 year old, people age over 65 year old and patient with chronic disease as they do not body immunity against flu virus.

 

[Guest gwm4sian]

Meanwhile, the Thai Hotels Association (THA) has urged entertainment venues, pubs and restaurants in the tourist resort of Pattaya to close their outlets temporarily in order to help prevent the spread of A(H1N1) influenza.

 

Sounds like another kick in the balls to the tourist industry. How long before the enterprising BIB latch on and start with the closure orders (unless you pay for an inspection to prove flu free!)

 

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in THE NATION:

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Thai Swine-flu Cases Rise to 106

 

Published on June 14, 2009

 

17 Kindergarteners Test Positive; THAI Crew to be Grounded if Passengers Test Positive

 

Seventeen pupils of a kindergarten in Pathum Thani province were yesterday confirmed to have the Type-A (H1N1) influenza, thus bringing Thailand's confirmed H1N1-virus patients to 106, a five-fold leap from Wednesday's 16.

 

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said that 17 of 50 kindergarten students whose virus samples were collected for testing on Friday had tested positive for H1N1.

 

"Altogether 106 swine-flu cases were confirmed today," Wittaya said, adding that academics said Thailand had the flu outbreak in some areas but they remained within a limited circle.

 

Nearly 100 more kindergarteners, many with fever, went for check-ups at Pathum Thani Hospital yesterday morning, while provincial governor Preecha Butsri had officials clean all schools in Muang district in a bid to stop the disease from spreading.

 

Wittaya said the ministry and medical experts had agreed to bring treatment in line with the latest updates, especially in the matter of anti-viral medication, which would now be given only to those in need to prevent drug resistance. This will be notified to all doctors nationwide on Tuesday, he said. The ministry also suggested the general public take care not to fall ill and that businesses and schools send sick employees and students home rather than closing their premises. For details, go to http://www.moph.go.th . (That's the Ministry of Public Health web site. At the top right of the page you can click for English)

 

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr Paijit Warachit said that besides the 17 new confirmed cases, lab confirmations were pending on a Mahidol Univ-ersity student and patients in Ratchaburi and Roi Et.

 

Citing the latest WHO report that there have been 29,669 cases in 74 countries and 145 deaths, he said that Thailand had 106 cases and most of those affected had recovered.

 

Dr Tawee Chotepita-yasunon, who chairs the ministry's influenza academic team, said the Thai situation was at level B, an outbreak in a limited circle with only 10-15 patients to a group, but that it was expected that the situation would be upgraded in one month to level C, extensive outbreaks as seen in the US, the UK and Japan.

 

The public must be told the virus is not dangerous and only 10 per cent of people exposed to it fall ill and 0.01 per cent die, mostly those with previous medical problems, he said.

 

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhum-bhand Paribatra yesterday said the city's 435 schools would be cleaned yesterday and today while teachers at kindergarten and primary levels were instructed to watch their pupils carefully as they were of the age most at risk.

 

He said there was no need to close all schools.

 

Urging city residents not to panic about this curable disease, he said a meeting of representatives of schools, tutorial academies, hospitals and shopping malls would be held tomorrow at 1pm at the JJ Mall to achieve a better understanding of the new flu and how to prevent an outbreak.

 

Meanwhile, the crew of any Thai Airways International flight will be grounded for seven days for monitoring if a passenger tests positive, a senior THAI official said yesterday.

 

Surapol Isarakura na Ayutthaya, head of crisis management at THAI, said this would ensure the crew did not pass on the virus. Flight crew of flights returning from risk countries will also be required to undergo check-ups at the Bamrasnaradu Infectious Disease Institute, he said.

[Guest fountainhall]

Meanwhile, the crew of any Thai Airways International flight will be grounded for seven days for monitoring if a passenger tests positive

 

Crew on Cathay Pacific have been wearing face masks for the last couple of weeks.

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS:

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Bangkok School Fumigations; Phuket Nightlife Venues Close in Virus Response

 

BANGKOK, June 13 - Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials on Saturday began cleaning and fumigating all 435 schools under the agency’s administration in the Thai capital, while entertainment venues in Thailand’s Andaman Sea resort province of Phuket have been asked to close for five days after an employee was found to have contracted the Influenza A(H1N1) virus, officials said.

 

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said the two-day school cleaning campaign, ending Sunday, is aimed at preventing the spread of the flu to students under City Hall’s supervision.

 

The BMA campaign follows the H1N1 diagnosis Friday of a student of St. Gabriel’s College, a private school operated by the Roman Catholic Brothers of St. Gabriel in Bangkok’s Samsen district. A private tutoring school the school the student attended on the weekend will also be closed for a week to curb the spread of the disease.

 

Urging cooperation from all concerned state agencies, especially at border checkpoints, to help prevent the spread of the virus, Mr. Sukhumbhand said he had invited about 2,000 operators of Bangkok’s Internet cafes, school administrators, and the managers of malls and cinemas for a meeting on Monday.

 

He said they will be told of the danger of the disease and also be asked to help clean their business establishments properly in response to the virus, he said.

 

Mr. Sukhumbhand said BMA officials will join with the First Army Region in cleaning 431 temples in Bangkok during July 4-6. The campaign will start before Buddhist Lent which begins on July 8.

 

Meanwhile, entertainment establishments on Phuket Island were asked during a meeting Saturday to close their businesses for five days so that the owner would have enough time to clean and spray their places.

 

The request was made after an employee of one entertainment centre was found to have contracted the virus, becoming the first case to have been reported in the popular resort.

 

Blood tests on 26 employees of Phuket nightlife and other entertainment venues on the island believed to have come into close contact with Hong Kong tourists who returned home recently and were diagnosed with the virus, will be known later Saturday. (TNA)

 

[atri1666]

Today i got privat prescription from my doctor and now i have prophylactic Tamiflu for my trip. Not cheap with a price of 37€ for 10 pills but can take it till 2012.