Govt denies 'covering up' H1N1 deaths

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Govt denies 'covering up' H1N1 deaths

Published: 29/06/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

The government is denying it has downplayed the severity of H1N1 flu, amid opposition claims of a cover-up.

A day after the confirmation of the first two Thai fatalities from the virus, former deputy public health minister Vicharn Meenchainant said he believed the government had attempted to cover up at least one of the deaths, as confirmation took days to emerge.

The victims are a 40-year-old woman with heart trouble who died on June 20 and a 42-year-old engineer in Chon Buri who died on Saturday. The engineer died after he returned from overseas.

Mr Vicharn, now an opposition Puea Thai MP, said the government must accept responsibility because it had promised the virus would not kill anyone.

Claiming no one could die from the flu was a deliberate attempt to distort the truth, he said.

He suspected the government tried to cover up news of the woman's death, as it took days to emerge. He said the engineer's death clearly showed the thermal scanners at Suvarnabhumi airport, the country's main gateway, had failed, as they were unable to detect the man was carrying the virus when he returned to the country.

But Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai yesterday insisted the ministry had not concealed information about the flu. He said a cover-up would be pointless because it was a non-political issue. He had made it mandatory for doctors to report all new infections, which were then announced to the public.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee said the number of H1N1 infections nationwide rose yesterday to 1,289, from 1,209 cases the day before. Of the latest figure, 1,267 have been cured.

Two people, a 57-year-old woman and a navy private, were the most severe cases. They were treated at hospital and are now recovering.

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saekoey

Discussion 6 : 29/06/2009 at 10:54 AM6
I guess everyone's forgotten how Thaksin tried to keep CP quiet about bird flu, when they were ready to admit that there were genuine cases of it in the country. SARS was also covered up for a ridiculously long time.
Sam

Discussion 5 : 29/06/2009 at 10:11 AM5
Eventhough I am worry about the flu but I think at the Airport scanning is working as it has designed for. Many ways to cheating the machine anyhow. I think it is more joke and nonsense act in China and Japan when I passed through last month. The officers may sit down and chat as Thai human but if the machine can detect the flu, I believe the working attitude will immediately change. Health concern program, for example program for "quit smoking" in Thai has been more effectively sucess comparing to China, Korea, Japan, or the US. Now, they are working on drinking, wait and see! It is proven, I bet for that.
Richard

Discussion 4 : 29/06/2009 at 10:05 AM4
We just left Bangkok (Jun 27) to Canada via Hongkong. In the Bangkok airport very few peaple are wearing masks (maybe 1%). On the Thai flight from BKK to Hongkong about 10% of the passenger wore masks. At Hongkong airport I saw 2 people wearing a masks. On the Air Canada flight about 10% wore masks. I noticed there where far fewer people coughing than usual. There was a group of Thai children on a field trip on the plane. About 2 hours from landing at Vancouver one of the children was getting a lot of attention by the teachers and flight attendants. I overheard them saying he had a fever and was vomitting. He looked white as a ghost. I was concerned when we would land we would all be isolated for 7 days like they did in China. When we landed in YVR there was nothing. No temperture checks, no men in white coat, no forms to fill out, nothing. Even though Canada has serval thousand cases this virus seems no worse than the regular influenza. I was told that Canada downgraded the scare becouse its just not that serious. But dont get me wrong, any influenza is not a holiday and stats due show it has a 0.5 to 1% death rate.
Lertsiri Boonmee

Discussion 3 : 29/06/2009 at 09:22 AM3
No matter who you are, or what you believe now about the H1N1 flu, the best thing to do is look after yourselves by practicing proper personal hygiene techniques. If you know you are sick or feeling that you have symptoms of being sick, don't delay that visit to the doctor and please cover up your mouths with some kind of disposable face mask. As for the outcome of the worldwide pandemic, the world can only hope for a true cure and proven vaccination that is safe for all and not give out side effects. Before actually taking any form of medication, it would also be wise to really know what you are taking. If it has mercury in it, I'd be suspicious if I were you.
Michael

Discussion 2 : 29/06/2009 at 08:50 AM2
I fully agreed with Dr. Who comment that Suvarnabhumi airport is a joke. Just last month when I entered Suvarnabhumi airport while passing through the thermo scanner, I’ve notice that the staffs seating in front of the thermo monitor was not looking at the monitor. They are 2 or 3 staffs and they were chatting among themselves while all the incoming guests just went through.

Thai people have to change their working attitude or they will drag behind. Even Vietnamese are better than them now and much more hard working people. Thai can’t be having the same couldn’t care less working attitude forever and everything “MAI PEN LAI”
Dr Who

Discussion 1 : 29/06/2009 at 08:04 AM1
Suvarnabhumi is a joke, I flew into China last week and every single passenger on the aircraft was checked with an electro thermometer on the forehead before anyone could leave the aircraft...2 people were found to have high temps they were then tested with glass thermometers for 30 min more…every single passenger 5 rows before & after the two people were given printed details of the virus PLUS all hotel details etc were taken …the full process took 2 hours, so delays are going to be massive in a couple of months

Govt denies 'covering up' H1N1 deaths