Cambodia is actively preparing to prevent and deal with the possibly appearance of influenza A/H1N1, Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said on Wednesday.

"It is the require of Prime Minister Hun Sen," Mam stressed when he inspected the Calmette Hospital on Wednesday afternoon which was preparing for isolation wards and other facilities to accept the possible influenza virus infected patients. Mam also inspected the Phnom Penh International Airport to check out the use of temperature detectors and other relevant prevention and control measures.

Mam said that the Cambodian government has attached great importance to the prevention of the disease since the confirmation of the first influenza A/H1N1 in Mexico, adding that Prime Minister Hun Sen, on many occasions, also reminded the relevant government departments to remain on full alert in dealing with the disease.

Fifty sets of medical protective clothing, special-purpose vehicles, and related drugs have been ready in Phnom Penh and the tourism city of Siem Reap, Mam added.

Cambodia installed thermal scanners at its international airports and tightened supervision at its checkpoints with neighboring countries, while the Ministry of Health used the existing equipment and system nationwide for combating bird flu to monitor the A/H1N1 flu.

Thirty countries have reported 5,251 cases of influenza A/H1N1 as of May 12 and sixty-one deaths have been confirmed worldwide, according to WHO's website.

Last week health ministers from the ASEAN and their counterparts from China, Japan, and South Korea met in Bangkok pledging to cooperate in the face of the threat from the virus and to boost stockpiles of antiviral.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2009)