112 Thais admitted for bird flu tests

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http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=23696

The article is a little confusing. It says that all these people

were admitted for bird flu tests after it was determined that they

had human flu but not avian flu. Does it mean that they are looking

for dual infections? Or does it mean that they weren't so sure that

they could rule out avian flu after all? Or does it mean that there

was disinformation the first time around and that avian flu was

never ruled out?

In a few days when the tests come back we should know more,

providing some organization that we can trust more than the Thai

government announces the test results.

The article:

112 patients admitted for bird flu tests in North

PHICHIT, July 29 (TNA) - Thai public health authorities have

admitted that over one hundred patients from 14 provinces suspected

of having contracted avian influenza and are being monitored and

tested for bird flu, but no new cases have been reported following a

flurry of new reports during the past week.

No new cases of avian influenza have been confirmed, a senior Public

Health Ministry official said Saturday.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Prat Boonyawongvirot said

a total of 112 patients from 14 provinces, including two from

Bangkok, had been admitted for further laboratory tests after

earlier tests showed that most suffered from human influenza, but

not avian influenza.

Dr. Prat said health officers were also closely monitoring about

three dozen medical personnel and three other persons who looked

after a 17-year-old youth who died of confirmed avian influenza in

the northern province of Phichit last Monday.

Although no further cases of bird flu have been confirmed, public

health authorities met Saturday in both Phichit and the neighbouring

Phitsanulok Province to assess the situation and work out stricter

bird flu control measures. So far no H5N1 virus has been found.

Nonetheless, physicians, nurses and public health officials were

told to be more alert for people suspected to have contracted the

disease.

Hospitals across Thailand had admitted more patients suspected of

contracting avian influenza, Public Health Minister Phinij

Jarusombat indicated Friday, most with cough and standard influenza

symptoms.

He said he would establish a special medical team to administer the

anti-viral drug Tamiflu to suspected cases. (TNA)--E111, E002