Chiang Mai – Even as three teenagers and two children were found infected with the A(H1N1) virus, the total number of those afflicted rose to 19 in the Meala Burmese refugee camp, located along the Thai-Burma border.

The first infection in the camp was detected on August 5, and on September 16 samples of another five people were taken to the MaeSot Hospital, where they were declared infected on September 21.

The latest cases of the virus were found on those aged 16, 15, 13, 34, and 3.

“The children are in  a stable condition. They are not suffering, it is moderate,” a medical compounder at the camp told Mizzima.

He added that the family of the infected children had been instructed to tell their children to use handkerchiefs to cover their nose and mouth while coughing.

Besides, camp authorities said, they are now organizing training on health education in the camp. Although they were able to provide masks to infected children and their families, due to lack of funds, they were unable to provide masks to all the people in the camp.

The camp hosts about 40,000 Burmese refugees, a majority of whom are ethnic Karen.