Six Asian countries test preparedness for possible flu pandemic,
share worries
CAMBODIA: Officials from six Asian countries shared fears Wednesday
of the impact of a flu pandemic caused by a mutation of the bird flu
virus, voicing concerns about food and water shortages and mass movement
of panic-stricken populations.
Delegates from China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam
met for a second day of exercises testing their ability to respond
should the H5N1 bird flu virus mutate into a form that is more easily
spread among humans.
Officials from agencies, ranging from tourism to defense, raised
issues they would likely be forced to handle, including a flood of
people seeking medical care in neighboring countries and a lack of
public trust that could lead to social upheaval.
“In a pandemic, people are afraid of getting infected,” said Dr. Htar
Htar Lin, an epidemiologist from Myanmar’s Ministry of Health. “How can
we help each other, and how can we keep the humanity among the people?”
The participants were faced with a mock scenario that was certainly
feasible: After 18 people from one Malaysian community tested positive
for bird flu along with three health care workers, it was confirmed that
the H5N1 virus had mutated into a form that could spread more easily
among people. The virus then began to spread across the region and
beyond.
The decisions made during the event, and the time it took to carry
out the plans, helped the officials gauge how prepared they were for a
real situation.
“We think this is a very dangerous point for us,” said Dr. Preecha
Prempree, an epidemiologist from Thailand’s Ministry of Health, who said
Asia is the most likely place where a pandemic could emerge. “We have to
have cooperation in the region.”
The delegates referred to problems faced during the 2003 spread of
the SARS virus, which emerged in Asia and killed nearly 800 people
worldwide. They discussed the best strategies for protecting health care
workers, keeping infected people from crossing borders and isolating the
sick.
“They learned a lot from their experience with SARS, which doesn’t
necessarily mean they’ve solved all the problems that they had,” said
Dr. Melinda Moore, a senior health researcher for the RAND Corp., a U.S.
think tank that helped design the exercise.
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Wednesday, AP
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