Bird flu set to go global, expert says
Human flu vaccine should be made here
APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL
A global outbreak of bird flu could occur next year and Thailand should strengthen its contingency planning to combat the disease or a human influenza pandemic, a health expert said yesterday. Supamit Chunsuttiwat, a senior health officer responsible for the country's bird flu preparedness plan, was worried that avian flu would spread to the remaining uninfected continents around the world, North and South America and Australia, by next year at the latest.
A worldwide spread of the H5N1 virus was likely when bird-flu free countries like the United States and Australia were hit by the disease.
Migratory birds using the east atlantic flyway across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe and Africa to America were singled out as the main vector for the spread of bird flu, he said
Mr Supamit was speaking at a workshop on preparations to combat bird flu or a human flu pandemic, organised by the Department of Medical Services.
''Each country has to beef up its bird flu preparedness plan now as there are signs that the virus will spread all over the world soon,'' he said.
As of January this year, avian flu had been found in 60 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa.
The disease had killed 166 people in 11 countries, including 17 in Thailand, since 2003.
In preparation for a global outbreak of bird flu, Dr Supamit said Thailand needed a flu vaccine production plant, although it was difficult to build and would be very expensive.
Only 300,000 doses of influenza vaccine were stockpiled at the moment. Of this, 200,000 doses were reserved for health professionals. This meant only 100,000 doses would be available for a total of 65 million Thais.
Dr Supamit believed effective health surveillance systems and changes in the behaviour of village people were the best way to reduce the number of bird flu patients in Thailand.
Three deaths were reported here last year, compared with a total 14 in 2004 and 2005. There have been no reports of human cases this year although three bird flu outbreaks had been confirmed in three provinces since Jan 15, he said.
Medical Services Department chief Chatree Banchuen said the ministry would run a drill next month to ensure health officials and politicians were protected in the event of an emergency.
Health surveillance contingency planning would also be reviewed for Bangkok and neighbouring provinces, where more than 10 million people live. People in crowded areas were more vulnerable if there was a bird flu outbreak, he said.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/15Feb2007_news05.php
Human flu vaccine should be made here
APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL
A global outbreak of bird flu could occur next year and Thailand should strengthen its contingency planning to combat the disease or a human influenza pandemic, a health expert said yesterday. Supamit Chunsuttiwat, a senior health officer responsible for the country's bird flu preparedness plan, was worried that avian flu would spread to the remaining uninfected continents around the world, North and South America and Australia, by next year at the latest.
A worldwide spread of the H5N1 virus was likely when bird-flu free countries like the United States and Australia were hit by the disease.
Migratory birds using the east atlantic flyway across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe and Africa to America were singled out as the main vector for the spread of bird flu, he said
Mr Supamit was speaking at a workshop on preparations to combat bird flu or a human flu pandemic, organised by the Department of Medical Services.
''Each country has to beef up its bird flu preparedness plan now as there are signs that the virus will spread all over the world soon,'' he said.
As of January this year, avian flu had been found in 60 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa.
The disease had killed 166 people in 11 countries, including 17 in Thailand, since 2003.
In preparation for a global outbreak of bird flu, Dr Supamit said Thailand needed a flu vaccine production plant, although it was difficult to build and would be very expensive.
Only 300,000 doses of influenza vaccine were stockpiled at the moment. Of this, 200,000 doses were reserved for health professionals. This meant only 100,000 doses would be available for a total of 65 million Thais.
Dr Supamit believed effective health surveillance systems and changes in the behaviour of village people were the best way to reduce the number of bird flu patients in Thailand.
Three deaths were reported here last year, compared with a total 14 in 2004 and 2005. There have been no reports of human cases this year although three bird flu outbreaks had been confirmed in three provinces since Jan 15, he said.
Medical Services Department chief Chatree Banchuen said the ministry would run a drill next month to ensure health officials and politicians were protected in the event of an emergency.
Health surveillance contingency planning would also be reviewed for Bangkok and neighbouring provinces, where more than 10 million people live. People in crowded areas were more vulnerable if there was a bird flu outbreak, he said.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/15Feb2007_news05.php