Swine flu rears its head again

The second round of the A(H1N1) swine flu epidemic has begun, Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said on Thursday.

He said some provinces had already encountered the second wave of swine flu with 30 per cent of 200 students tested in the northeastern province Nakhon Ratchasima having been diagnosed as infected with the virus.

The Public Health Ministry has launched a new campaign, Four to the Power of Four, to combat the resurgence of the virus, as it may spread quickly.

"Health agencies in all provinces will implement measures to limit the spread of the disease during the four months from November to February," the minister said.

"Students, people of working age, the elderly and people with chronic diseases will be closely watched. The ministry will promote four activities to eliminate germs and four measures will be enforced at management level."

People should look after their health and follow the advice given by health officials, he said.

"The government is considering buying 800,000 more doses of H1N1 vaccine, having already purchased two million doses from France," he said.

Additional supplies of the vaccine would be distributed to private hospitals, where people could buy it, he said.

In the first round of the outbreak, an estimated 8.4 million Thais were infected by the A(H1N1) virus - 20 per cent of them lived in Bangkok.

On Wednesday, the ministry confirmed one additional death, bringing the country’s total death toll from the epidemic to 185.

Relate Search: A(H1N1), swine flu