Call For Red, Yellow And Green A(H1N1) Zones

[george]

Call for red, yellow and green A(H1N1) zones

By John Le Fevre

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Thailand could soon be divided into red, yellow and green zones indicating the level of pandemic A(H1N1) infections in each region if a suggestion by former public health minister Sudarat Keyuraphan is acted on.

The call for the three color zones to indicate levels of infection came as Sudarat continued to receive treatment for the virus, originally termed swine flu, at Bamrungrad Hospital in Bangkok.

Sudarat said that despite taking preventative measures she still became infected with the virus, and said the Public Health Ministry (PHM) had not taken sufficient preventive measures, especially in areas outside Bangkok.

She said the country should be divided into red, yellow and green zones – for highly affected, less affected, and not affected – so that people would be able to better protect themselves from the virus.

The call for the color coding coincided with an announcement by the PHM that the rate of pandemic A(H1N1) infection in the provinces appears to be increasing.

Dr Paijit Warachit, deputy permanent secretary for public health, said farm workers and others outside the capital were among the groups health officials were most concerned about.

Thailand yesterday reported an additional 16 fatalities from pandemic A(H1N1), raising the number killed to 81, and while the PHM has stopped announcing the number of confirmed cases, a source inside the ministry said so far 10,045 people have been infected.

According to Government Pharmaceutical Organisation managing director Dr Witit Artavatkun, an estimated 30,000 people each day are going to hospitals nationwide seeking treatment.

He said production of the first batch of locally produced pandemic A(H1N1) flu vaccine at the Nakhon Pathom pilot plant will be completed by August 16, with clinical trials on humans scheduled to commence next month.

-- thaivisa.com 2009-08-07

[Scott]

They might want to re-think the color scheme. This one might get confused with politics and that would be counter-productive for health concerns.

[jackdanielsesq]

One can already imagine/hear the BG banter

BR>Jack

[aeon]

maybe is a trick to discriminate against taksin supporters

[Scott]

May I suggest the colors Burgundy, Chartreuse and burnt orange.