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Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/19355/third-h1n1-death-fuels-fears-about-virus-severity
Third H1N1 death fuels fears about virus severity
By: APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL
Published: 30/06/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The Public Health Ministry has confirmed the country's third death from type A (H1N1) flu, fuelling fears about the severity of the virus.
A 21-year-old navy conscript was pronounced dead at about 8am yesterday at Queen Sirikit Hospital in Chon Buri's Sattahip district, only two days after the first two fatalities were announced.
Capt Noppadon Supakorn, commander of the Naval Education Department's recruit training centre, said the conscript developed a high fever on June 15 but refused to go to hospital and continued to take part in training.
The conscript's condition deteriorated and he was sent to hospital yesterday morning where he died later of a severe lung infection.
Capt Noppadon said about 500 of a total of 4,200 conscripts had developed flu-like symptoms and had been put under surveillance for seven days.
Permanent secretary for public health Prat Boonyawongvirote yesterday asked the Royal Thai Navy to monitor hygiene at the naval base carefully to ensure the virus did not spread quickly.
Health authorities have been looking into the causes of the conscript's death. Initial findings show obesity was one of the risk factors contributing to his death.
Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, medical expert at the Department of Medical Services, said the man weighed 105kg and was 170cm tall. A tough training programme and inadequate rest while suffering flu symptoms could have caused his condition to deteriorate.
Obesity has been found to be a major risk factor among people who contracted A (H1N1) flu, he said citing a pandemic study on flu cases in Mexico and the US.
Although young adults are at lower risk of contracting A (H1N1) flu than children aged under five, seniors over 65 years and patients suffering from chronic diseases, their flu symptoms tend to be more severe, judging from the three local fatalities, he said.
The latest death has raised fears about the severity of the new flu virus, but the health authority is insisting the fatality rate of A (H1N1) in Thailand is considered low. Dr Tawee said the mortality rate of A (H1N1) patients was two in a thousand - much lower than the US rate of four in a thousand.
Third H1N1 death fuels fears about virus severity
By: APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL
Published: 30/06/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The Public Health Ministry has confirmed the country's third death from type A (H1N1) flu, fuelling fears about the severity of the virus.
A 21-year-old navy conscript was pronounced dead at about 8am yesterday at Queen Sirikit Hospital in Chon Buri's Sattahip district, only two days after the first two fatalities were announced.
Capt Noppadon Supakorn, commander of the Naval Education Department's recruit training centre, said the conscript developed a high fever on June 15 but refused to go to hospital and continued to take part in training.
The conscript's condition deteriorated and he was sent to hospital yesterday morning where he died later of a severe lung infection.
Capt Noppadon said about 500 of a total of 4,200 conscripts had developed flu-like symptoms and had been put under surveillance for seven days.
Permanent secretary for public health Prat Boonyawongvirote yesterday asked the Royal Thai Navy to monitor hygiene at the naval base carefully to ensure the virus did not spread quickly.
Health authorities have been looking into the causes of the conscript's death. Initial findings show obesity was one of the risk factors contributing to his death.
Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, medical expert at the Department of Medical Services, said the man weighed 105kg and was 170cm tall. A tough training programme and inadequate rest while suffering flu symptoms could have caused his condition to deteriorate.
Obesity has been found to be a major risk factor among people who contracted A (H1N1) flu, he said citing a pandemic study on flu cases in Mexico and the US.
Although young adults are at lower risk of contracting A (H1N1) flu than children aged under five, seniors over 65 years and patients suffering from chronic diseases, their flu symptoms tend to be more severe, judging from the three local fatalities, he said.
The latest death has raised fears about the severity of the new flu virus, but the health authority is insisting the fatality rate of A (H1N1) in Thailand is considered low. Dr Tawee said the mortality rate of A (H1N1) patients was two in a thousand - much lower than the US rate of four in a thousand.