Human Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Prevention Measures in Thailand
Updated 30 April 2009
There has been no report of human swine flu infection in Thailand.
The Ministry of Public Health has collaborated with Airports of Thailand to closely monitor passengers with flu-like symptoms and strictly monitor those coming from countries affected by the disease.
Thermal scanners have been installed at the country’s main airports: Suvarnabhumi Airport, Chiang Mai International Airport, Phuket International Airport and Samui Airport. The device will beep upon detecting anyone with a body temperature above 37 degrees Celsius passing through the gates. Each gate can scan a large group at a time.
Anyone found with a fever would be questioned by health officials about the history of their illness. Suspected cases will be under close surveillance for three to five days during their stay in Thailand.
The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) has a stockpile of 170,000 tablets of Oseltamivir, which is enough to treat 17,000 patients. In case of an outbreak, the GPO has the capacity to produce a million pills of the medicine within four days.
The Livestock Development Department has set up a war room to monitor the outbreak and come up with necessary measures to protect people and pig farms from the deadly virus meanwhile suggesting pig farmers separate pigs from other farm animals, especially fowl, to prevent possible virus mutation.
