PM: Flu top priority

The government has given priority to containing the outbreak of A(H1N1) flu, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Thursday.

Mr Abhisit said other swine flu-hit countries were no longer keeping track of their cases as the severity level was similar to that of seasonal flu, but his government would do its best to prevent another fatality from this disease.

On Wednesday, two patients had died from the disease, raising the flu toll to five.

People should not panic as the outbreak may also hurt the economy, the prime minister warned.

A vaccine against the H1N1 virus should be available from overseas around September or October, he said.

Meanwhile the supply of antiviral medicine was adequate and more could be easily produced.

The Public Health Ministry was working closely with the World Health Organisation and seeking further ways to deal with the outbreak.