Two Narathiwat inmates die of H1N1 flu
Play
The Narathiwat Prison has isolated 150 inmates after they appeared to have contacted H1N1 or “swine flu” virus from two inmates who have died of the virulent virus, a source from the prison said.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary for Justice Ministry Charnchao Chaiyanukit confirmed Wednesday that two inmates had died of the H1N1 flu virus over the weekend.
Charnchao said he had received a report from the Corrections Department Director General Patikhom Wongsuwan that inmates who became ill because of the flu had been isolated from other inmates and had been given anti-viral drug.
Charnchao said flu masks had been distributed to all inmates who were instructed to wear the masks all the time.
The permanent secretary said the first group of ill inmates had received the full dose of antiviral drug for five days Wednesday and medical staffs had yet to check whether the drug was effective.
He said the spread of the flu had been contained and there was no need to transfer other inmates to other prisons.
The permanent secretary said a medical team from the Corrections Hospital in Bangkok was urgently dispatched to Narathiwat Prison to check the latest situation on Wednesday. The team will work with the chief provincial health office and the provincial governor to prevent the virus from spreading outside the prison.
The H1N1 flu virus caused a world-wide pandemic in 2009. When it was first detected in 2009, it was called “swine flu” because the virus was similar to those found in pigs.
