Children under 2, people over 65, pregnant women and people suffering from chronic heart disease, asthma or other lung diseases are urged to get vaccinated against influenza, to reduce the severity of an infection and possibly life-threatening complications.
Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, director general of the Disease Control Department, said today that, although most influenza cases are not serious and can be treated, some patients may develop life-threatening complications.
He disclosed that this year, by June 20, 186,900 influenza cases have been recorded, including five fatalities in Nakhon Ratchasima, two in Nakhon Si Thammarat and one each in Chaiyaphum, Surat Thani, Bangkok, Sukhothai, Samut Prakan, Phuket and Kalasin.
Between September 1, 2021 and June 16 this year, the Disease Control and Medical Sciences Departments, the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health and the Thailand-US Public Health Cooperation Centre conducted sentinel surveillance on 2,284 influenza cases.
He said 1,044 cases were diagnosed as the A/H3N2 flu variant, 619 cases of B, 594 cases of A/H1N1 and 24 A cases.
To prevent oneself from catching the flu, he recommended frequent hand washing with soap and water or alcohol gel, the wearing of face masks in crowded places, covering the mouth and nose with tissue every time one sneezes or coughs, daily screening by schools of young students before class with any student who sneezes of coughs wearing a mask or being sent home.
File photo : Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn
