HONG KONG, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A new wave of
spreading of A/H1N1 flu is feared in Asia-Pacific region, as Thailand, New
Zealand, the Philippines and China on Sunday reported two digit increase in
confirmed cases of the flu.
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Thai health workers disinfectant a road
along Patong beach in Phuket province, about 862 km (536 miles) south of
Bangkok June 14, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
The Thai Ministry of Public Health asked the public
to stay calm as the kingdom reported another 44 A/H1N1 flue cases on Sunday,
adding the total confirmed cases nationwide rose to 150.
Mentioning most of the new cases are students, the
Permanent Secretary for Public Health Prat Boonyawongvirot asked the public not
to panic, as the disease is only a type of influenza and most new cases only
suffered from seasonal flu symptoms. He also said the epidemic in Thailand is
not yet severe.
Prat said people can protect themselves from being
infected by maintaining good health, getting enough rest and avoiding alcoholic
drinks.
Thailand reported its first two confirmed flu cases
on May 12, and the pace of the epidemic has been slow until June 12, when 43
cases were confirmed across the country in a single day.
The number of confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 in
New Zealand rose to 71 on Sunday, up from 43 on Saturday, the Health Ministry
said.
With the disease starting to spread beyond those who
caught it through overseas contact, the Health Ministry said people must be
prepared to recognize its symptoms and stay home if they are sick.
Health Minister Tony Ryall said on Sunday that there
is no reason for alarm and that more cases are to be expected.
He said the health authorities have been planning for
community transmission of the virus and will be able to cope with an expected
rise in cases in the coming days.
Philippine health authorities confirmed on Sunday 36
more patients infected with the A/H1N1 flu virus, bringing the total cases to
147 in the country.
The National Epidemiology Center, an attached agency
of the Philippine Department of Health, said that three of the 36 new cases were
foreigners.
On the same day, the health authorities declared a
community-level outbreak of the Influenza A/H1N1 virus at a farming village in
Nueva Ecija province, about 170 km northeast of Manila. Ninety-two contacts of
11 children tested positive for the virus there have exhibited symptoms of the
illness, said Eric Tayag, head of the National Epidemiology Center. The
authorities expect more cases to be confirmed in the coming days.
The Chinese mainland also confirmed 20 new A/H1N1 flu
cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections to 185 with no
fatalities.
The Chinese capital Beijing and provinces of Fujian
and Guangdong reported four new cases each from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 p.m.
Sunday, the Ministry of Health said in a late Sunday statement.
Meanwhile, three new cases were reported in Hubei
Province, two in Zhejiang Province and one each in Hunan, Shandong and Shanghai.
In China's Hong Kong, eight more people were tested
positive for the A/H1N1 influenza virus on Sunday, bringing the number of
confirmed cases in the city to 92. Among the eight new cases, five were
imported.
Singapore on Sunday confirmed seven more cases of
Influenza A/H1N1, bringing the total number of confirmed cases here to 34, the
country's Health Ministry said.
The ministry said that all of the 34 cases, except
one who was a close contact of a confirmed case, are imported cases with a
travel history. So far, 17 patients have been discharged. The remaining 17
patients are still in the hospital and their conditions remain stable.
Singapore reported its first confirmed case of
Influenza A/H1N1on May 27.
On Friday night, Singapore's Health Ministry also
said that theA/H1N1 flu alert level in the city state would remain at yellow,
but the shift to mitigation measures might be inevitable.
In India, two more people, a 29-year-old woman and
her three-year-old daughter, have been tested positive of the A H1N1 flu virus
on Sunday in India, raising the number of cases of the disease to 19, said
health officials on Sunday.
The mother and daughter arrived from New Jersey, the
United States in the southern Indian city of Bangalore Friday. They were tested
positive Saturday night, said the officials of Health Ministry.
On Saturday, a 20-month-old boy from Hyderabad tested
positive for the influenza A (H1N1) virus, a day after his six-year-old sister
was confirmed with the infection.
A one-and-a-half-year old boy was tested positive
Saturday, one day after his six-year-old sister was tested the same in the
central Indian city of Hyderabad.
The two children arrived in India with their parents
from New York on June 10.
Chinese mainland reports 31 new A/H1N1
flu cases, total hits 196
BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland
confirmed 31 new A/H1N1 flu cases Sunday, bringing the total number of
infections to 196 with no fatalities.
Southwestern province of Sichuan alone confirmed 10 new
cases, eight of whom were tourists from the United States, the Ministry of
Health said in a late Sunday statement. Full story
Thailand's total number of A/H1N1
virus patients rises to 201
BANGKOK, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Thailand on Monday reported 51 more A/H1N1 virus
cases, bringing the country's total number to 201, according to the Thai Public
Health Ministry.
Earlier, Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said he has
already ordered classes' suspension in eight education institutions in Bangkok
and a nearby province of Pathoomthani. Full story
Singapore confirms 6 more Influenza
A/H1N1 cases, 40 in total
SINGAPORE, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Singapore has confirmed six more cases of
Influenza A/H1N1, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 40, the
country's Health Ministry said on Sunday night.
According to the ministry, all of the 40 cases, except one
who was a close contact of a confirmed case, are imported cases with a travel
history. Full story
Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu
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