PRESS RELEASE:
BANGKOK (NNT) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has incorporated a flu strain sequenced in Thailand into its trivalent influenza vaccine for the 2024 season in the Southern Hemisphere.
According to Acting Permanent Secretary for Public Health Yongyot Thammawut, the inclusion stems from a collaborative effort among vaccine regulatory agencies, manufacturers, and the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System. They convened in Geneva to determine the composition of the upcoming vaccine.
The Thai flu virus lineage was identified through extensive surveillance by the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) within the Ministry of Public Health, in cooperation with the Department of Disease Control, various hospitals, and the Thailand office of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This surveillance network, which reports its findings to the WHO weekly, helps guide international preventive measures against the flu. It is credited with effectively monitoring influenza strains and mutations circulating in Thailand.
In the current season, Thailand has observed a rise in influenza cases, with the influenza A (H3N2) strain being the most prevalent, accounting for two-thirds of all cases. Other strains, including influenza B and A (H1N1), are responsible for 19% and 14% of new infections, respectively.
The preceding is a press release from the Thai Government PR Department.
