Thai swine flu cases double; New Zealand gives warning
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June 14, 2009 by fluoutbreak
(ChinaPost.com.tw) – Authorities urged the public to remain calm as swine flu cases more than doubled in Thailand on Saturday and New Zealand warned a sharp rise in its infections could be imminent, days after the U.N. declared a pandemic.
The World Health Organization on Thursday announced the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. Some 74 countries have reported some 29,700 cases, including 145 deaths. Mexico and the United States have been worst affected.
So far, the virus appears to be mild but experts say it might have a more devastating effect in people with underlying health problems.
Swine flu infections in Thailand soared to 106 Saturday, up from 47 on Friday.
Senior Health Ministry official Paichit Warachit said about 80 percent of the cases reported only mild symptoms and had not gone to see the doctor when they first got sick.
“That’s why the disease is spreading,” Paichit told The Associated Press.
He said more cases can be expected in the next one to two weeks “but the public should not be overly panicked. We are prepared to handle this.”
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