Influenza cases surge to over 130,000 in two months
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has issued a warning about a surge in influenza cases, with over 130,000 patients reported in the past two months.
DDC Director-General Panumas Yanwetsakul revealed that from January 1 to February 24, there were 131,826 reported cases of influenza, resulting in a dozen fatalities. The majority of cases were among children aged five to nine, followed by infants, toddlers 0 to four years old, and those 10 to 14 years old.
The northern region recorded the highest incidence of influenza, with 258.44 cases per 100,000 people, followed by the northeastern region at 175.88, and the southern region at 138.85. Phayao had the highest nationwide infection rate with 635.55 cases per 100,000, followed by Lamphun at 591.61 and Chiang Rai at 469.88. In Bangkok, there were 331.85 cases per 100,000.
The infection rate is anticipated to be at least 1.6 times higher than the same period last year and exceeds the median morbidity rate of the past five years. In 2024, there were 668,027 influenza cases and 51 deaths, with the AH1N1 subvariant being the most prevalent.
Panumas recommended flu vaccinations for high-risk people, including those 65 years old or older, children under five, people with obesity, chronic illnesses, and pregnant women, to mitigate severe symptoms if infected.
He advised people exhibiting influenza symptoms to remain at home for three to seven days or until fully recovered to prevent the virus’s spread. Immediate medical attention is advised if symptoms persist, reported Bangkok Post.
The public is encouraged to practice regular handwashing and wear face masks in crowded settings.
In similar news, influenza cases in Thailand have surged, with nearly 100,000 infections and three deaths reported over the past 15 days. The Ministry of Public Health announced a significant rise in cases, particularly in schools, and is deploying 4.5 million doses of vaccines to combat the outbreak.
Since January 1, there have been 99,057 confirmed influenza cases, with nine fatalities. This is a sharp increase from January 25, when only 7,819 cases were reported, indicating a rise of 91,238 cases in just over two weeks.
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