Bangkok Post: The world windows to Thailand

Thailand has recorded its fourth and fifth fatalities from the type A (H1N1) influenza.

The number of people reported to have the flu also increased yesterday by 59 to 1,473, including a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Ubon Ratchathani who attended a Korean boy-band concert in Bangkok last weekend.

Five schools have closed, including Benjama Maharat in the northeastern province where the girl studies.

The country's fourth confirmed flu fatality was a 15-year-old girl, who died yesterday in Chon Buri province.

The girl had chronic haematological disease, a low white-blood cell count and diabetes.

She had also undergone surgery for a brain tumour, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said.

The other fatality was a 45-year-old man, who died from acute kidney failure at Rajvithi Hospital in Bangkok.

The patient had put himself at risk through excessive smoking and drinking, and his condition had been critical since Saturday, the public health minister said.

"We [health officials] do everything we can, following international health standards, and work with other agencies to minimise the number of fatalities and the impact of flu," Mr Witthaya said when asked if he should take responsibility for the growing flu problem.

"We're also open to any suggestion to better the situation."

Argentina's Health Minister Graciela Ocana resigned yesterday after 26 people died from the flu, the biggest death toll among South American countries.

Puea Thai Party MP Wicharn Meenchainant, a deputy public health minister in the Somchai Wongsawat government, earlier called on the government to accept responsibility for the fatalities.

Medical experts have said from the beginning that deaths from A (H1N1) flu were unavoidable. They also have insisted the mortality rate here was still low - lower than for ordinary seasonal flu.

Supamit Choonsuthiwat, a Disease Control Department medical expert, said one in 10 flu cases need medical treatment on average.

Their symptoms vary from mild to severe and only 1% of this group end up dying.

Children aged under five, adults over 65 years, and patients suffering from chronic diseases are at risk of contracting both A (H1N1) and seasonal flu.

Flu experts, epidemiologists and virologists will meet tomorrow to review the national health strategy against flu pandemics, drawn up over the last two months.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation will speed up an import order of 2 million doses of A (H1N1) vaccine for use by October, earlier than the original delivery date of March, if it can be developed and produced in time.

In Ubon Ratchathani, Wutthikrai Mungmai, a provincial health official, said the results of a lab test confirmed the girl who was at the boy-band concert had contracted the flu.

The girl came down with a fever on Monday and when her condition worsened a day later she sought treatment at Ubonrak Thonburi Hospital, the official said.

The girl, he said, went to a weekend concert by the Korean boyband Dong Bang Shin Ki, at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani.

The band held two concerts, on Saturday and Sunday. It was unclear which concert she attended.

Mr Wutthikrai said three more students from the same school are thought to have the flu.

Lab test results are due tomorrow.

After the infection was confirmed, Benjama Maharat School announced it would close until next Thursday.

Four more schools across the country have also decided to suspend classes, to allow students with flu to recover over the long weekend.

They were Ang Thong Patthamaroj Witthayakhom in Ang Thong, Udon Pittayanukul in Udon Thani, Wiset Suksa in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Ban Bang Kapi in Bangkok.

Ang Thong Patthamaroj Witthayakhom School's principal said more than 100 students came down with fever yesterday, so the school decided to close for the sake of their safety.