Cambodia to Educate About A/H1N1 Ahead of Water Festival

Written by DAP NEWS -- Tuesday, 13 October 2009

(Post by CAAI News Media)

Cambodia is embarking upon a large scale education campaign about A/H1N1 ahead of this year’s Water Festival, to be held November 1-3 in Phnom Penh. A/H1N1 flu infected 133 people and three people have died of the virus, health officials said on Monday.

“We will distribute 500,000 leaflets to local people who come to see this event, and other hospitals in the country,” Health Minister Mam Bun Heng told reporters at a news conference. The leaflets give simple information to help Cambodians understand the flu virus and how to prevent it, and how to treat at home, he said. Suspected cases must relax at home, take pills and drink much water for treatment. “We are concerned about the flu during the forthcoming Water Festival but we need to educate at this time and people need to protect themselves from this flu,” he said.

The flu virus has been spreading in local communities but its process is slow because we have measures to prevent, he said. He said that Cambo- dia currently has 330,000 pills of Tamiflu in stock to treat serious cases.

“We are also concerned about the upcoming seasonal flu late this year in the country because most people easily catch seasonal colds,” he added. “Our doctors regularly go to the field to take sample from the suspected people across the country to seek the positive infected people.”

He also appealed for Cambodians to wear masks if they are ill, and ensure good hygiene and sanitation.