Ministry urges calm as flu panic spreads

The Public Health Ministry has urged people to remain calm after warnings about seasonal flu spread on social media.

Netizens said a virulent strain of influenza was being passed from patients to healthcare staff at Siriraj Hospital.

Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of Siriraj’s Faculty of Medicine, told the media yesterday five patients had been admitted to the hospital with the H3N2 influenza virus on Feb 9.

One died of a bacterial infection, but two have been discharged and the remaining two are not in a serious condition. Four of 19 health staff who had contact with the patients contracted the flu, he said. None are seriously ill.

On social media it was claimed the patients were suffering from an influenza A strain of the H3N2 virus known as A/ Switzerland/9715293. However, Dr Prasit said the strain of the virus affecting the four patients had not yet been identified.

The strain does not represent a serious risk of an epidemic and is not drug-resistant.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness and is classified into three types: influenza A (H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2), B and C.

From Jan 1 to Feb 23, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) reported 10,032 confirmed cases of the flu, with eight people dead.

Most of the people who died had chronic illnesses and missed flu vaccinations last year.

DDC deputy director-general Opart Karnkawinpong said 24 deaths were reported in the same period last year. In 2014, there were 74,065 cases of influenza with 86 deaths.

About 68% of patients contracted H3N2 — of which 90% had the A/Switzerland strain; 24% had influenza B; and 4% contracted H1N1. “There’s no need to panic right now,” Mr Opart said.

The DDC is preparing to give 3.5 million flu shots to at-risk groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and patients with chronic diseases at the end of next month.