Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - ASEAN is on high alert due to the outbreak of Swine Influenza, even as it has confirmed its stock of antivirals, ready for distribution among its member states.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nation Secretariats Office released a statement on Tuesday, saying the office and member States were now intensifying surveillance, coordinating and collaborating in the sharing of pertinent information, raising public awareness and taking necessary precautionary public health measures for the outbreak, which currently the World Health Organization has declared a situation of Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
“Currently, ASEAN has a stockpile of antiviral agents and Personal Protective Equipment, which are readily available for the ASEAN Member States, for rapid response and containment of outbreaks, that may occur in the region,” according to the statement.
The statement added that ASEAN has 500,000 courses of antivirals stockpiled in Singapore, and an additional 500,000 courses have been distributed to ASEAN Member States. ASEAN’s one million courses of antivirals is a reassuring fact and further efforts would be exerted to mobilize other sources of antivirals if needed.
Over the weekend, governments and health authorities globally went on alert, brought about by the outbreak of Swine Influenza in humans, with several deaths confirmed in Mexico and a number of confirmed cases in the United States.
The Ministry of Health of Singapore, reported that as of 27 April, 2009, there were no cases of human swine flu in both countries. However, two cases in Singapore have been referred for further assessment. One of them is an American from California, who was picked up for higher-than-normal temperature by thermal screening at Changi Airport. The other is a local resident who had a travel history to the United States and flu-like symptoms. Preliminary tests for Influenza A for both were negative.
Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, Malaysia’s Health Ministry Director-General said Malaysia was free of the deadly swine influenza epidemic, according to a report in Bernama News. He also said there were no cases for observation for signs of 'influenza-like illness' in the country.
On the contrary, Indonesian Heath Minister, Siti Fadilah Supari said on Tuesday that the deadly swine flu virus could have been man-made, as she urged people to remain calm about the news.
The Minister did not elaborate but, in the past she had said Western governments could be making and spreading viruses in the developing world to boost pharmaceutical companies' profits.
"I'm not sure whether the virus was genetically engineered but it's a possibility," she told reporters at a press conference called to reassure the public over the government's response to the swine flu threat, according to a report in Agence France-Presse.
So far, no cases of the disease have been reported in Indonesia, the country worst hit by the bird flu virus, which has killed about 250 people worldwide, since 2003.
Indonesian authorities have increased body temperature scanners at airports and banned import of live pigs and pork products, amid World Health Organization (WHO) warnings of an epidemic.
In Thailand, a recent development, the Public Health Ministry has prepared some mobile labs for testing suspected swine flu cases, said Doctor Suwanchai Watanayingcharoenchai, the Medical Services Department's Deputy Director-General.
Meanwhile, a 42-year-old Thai woman, returning from Mexico has been suspected to have been infected with swine influenza and is being quarantined at the Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok, as the first suspected swine flu case in Thailand.
ASEAN member countries have experienced the recent SARS and avian influenza epidemics. The ASEAN Secretariat Office will closely monitor the situation and work in tandem with its 10 members and partner organizations to take appropriate steps and towards strengthening of cross border collaboration, the statement added.
