Bangkok - Up to 1,200 people are likely to die from swine flu in Thailand over the next three years when the virus was expected to infect almost half the population, media reports said Saturday. Prasert Thingcharoen, chairman of the Public Health Ministry's subcommittee overseeing the outbreak of the H1N1 strain of the flu, said the virus was likely to infect up to 30 million of Thailand's 65 million people as it runs its course over the next one to three years, of whom 30,000 to 130,000 would show symptoms and 1,200 might die, the Bangkok Post reported.
To date, 3,071 Thais have tested positive for H1N1, of whom 13 were in critical condition and 15 have died, the ministry said.
Thailand has forced 2,310 private tutorial schools to close from July 13 to 28 in a bid to slow the spread of the virus, which is easily transmitted person-to-person.
The government has also requested that computer game shops and other venues that attract large numbers of people in small places consider temporary closures.
