Tue, 02:06 19 May 2009 GMT17

 

FACTBOX-Measures in Asia against deadly flu
09 May 2009 05:22:18 GMT
Source: Reuters
(For full coverage of the flu crisis, click [nFLU])

May 9 (Reuters) - Asia, which has battled deadly viruses such as the H5N1 bird flu and SARS in recent years, has been taking steps to ward off the new lethal flu strain virus.

Following are details of the latest situation in some Asian countries and how they are responding to the crisis:

-----------------------------------------------------------

Current totals of new flu strain cases in Asia:

COUNTRY DEATHS CONFIRMED CASES SUSPECTED CASES

NEW ZEALAND 0 5 90

JAPAN 0 3 0

SOUTH KOREA 0 3 53

AUSTRALIA 0 1 41

HONG KONG 0 1 0

PHILIPPINES 0 0 2

-----------------------------------------------------------

CHINA

- Health Minister says China has expanded stocks of Tamiflu and similar antiviral drugs, and has sufficient capacity to manufacture the medicines. Stepped up checks at airports require all incoming people to fill out health status declarations.

HONG KONG

- Hong Kong frees 300 guests and staff confined for a week in a hotel after a 25-year-old Mexican man was confirmed as Hong Kong's first and only case. The Mexican man is also released from hospital.

- Authorities have 20 million doses of Tamiflu and other anti-flu drugs to treat two million people. Screening has been stepped up at all entry points.

JAPAN

- Japan confirms its first three cases, a man in his 40s and two teenagers who had spent time in Canada.

- Government has about 33.8 million people's worth of Tamiflu stockpiled. Another 8.3 million doses are expected to be bought soon. About 2.68 million people worth of Relenza stockpiled by the central government. Japan's population is estimated at about 128 million.

AUSTRALIA

- Authorities announce the first confirmed case, a 28-year-old woman who flew in from Los Angeles. They say she suffered symptoms in the United States in April but has made a full recovery. Other passengers on same flight being contacted.

- Enough anti-viral drugs to cover around 41 percent of 21 million population. Australia has stockpiled 8.7 million doses of Tamiflu, Relenza and 50 million surgical masks.

SOUTH KOREA

- South Korea confirms its third case of H1N1 flu, a 62-year-old woman who is to be released because her health has improved.

- Tamiflu stockpile for 2.5 million people. Working to increase that to 10 percent of population of about 49 million.

NEW ZEALAND

- Of 90 suspected cases, New Zealand health ministry officials consider 14 are probable sufferers.

- Health Ministry boosts national stockpile of antiviral drugs by 10 percent to nearly 1.4 million doses, which will give cover to just under one-third of the population.

THAILAND - Govt has 320,000 sets of Tamiflu stockpiled. GPO, the state-owned drug maker, can produce one million capsules of generic Tamiflu if needed. Thailand has population of about 65 million.

PHILIPPINES

- Tamiflu stockpile estimated at 1.17 million capsules. The Philippines has a population of 90 million.

VIETNAM

- Visitors arriving from flu-affected countries are being isolated and nationals advised not to visit affected areas.

- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's largest city of more than 8 million people, has stocks of Tamiflu enough for 1 million.

SINGAPORE

- Eight people recently returned from Mexico ordered into a week-long home quarantine. The eight, two foreigners and six Singaporeans, must monitor their temperature twice a day.

TAIWAN

- Current supplies of flu treatment to cover 10 percent of the 23 million population.

MALAYSIA

- Boosting Tamiflu stockpile to cover 10 percent of the 27 million population from 7.5 percent currently.

CAMBODIA

- Temperature screening checkpoints at main airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, home of the Angkor temples, the country's biggest tourist destination.

- Cambodia has 15,750 packets of Tamiflu stockpiled.

BRUNEI

- Issues temporary bans on importing pork from countries with high numbers of flu cases.

BANGLADESH

- Travellers to be screened.

INDONESIA

- Temperature scanners installed at 10 airports and ports. Blanket ban on pig imports.

- At least 3 million Tamiflu capsules in stock.

INDIA

- Raising Tamiflu stocks to 10 million from 3 million.

ASEAN

- Health ministers from ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea pledge to boost drug stockpiles, share essential supplies and tighten surveillance against a virus that poses an "imminent health threat".

- Has 500,000 courses of antivirals stockpiled in Singapore and another 500,000 distributed among ASEAN member states.
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Mexico's Health Minister Jose Angel Cordoba Villalobos arrives at a side event of the 62nd World Health Assembly at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva May 18, 2009. The World ...



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