THE Ministry of Health has produced half a million brochures to inform people about how to protect themselves from swine flu during Phnom Penh’s Water Festival in November, Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng said Monday.

“The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation will distribute 500,000 brochures during the Water Festival to inform people about the ... virus, its symptoms and how they can seek medical assistance,” he said, adding that the brochure will make it easy for people to know how to protect themselves and others.

“I want to urge all members of the public to stay at home or stay away from the Festival if they have influenza. All people with symptoms should avoid large crowds,” he said.

Dr Nima Asgari, a World Health Organisation public health specialist, said Monday that the Water Festival – an annual celebration of the Tonle Sap river reversing its course – is a good opportunity to spread information about the prevention and treatment of swine flu.

“One million people will come to the city for the festival, so it is a good opportunity for us to broadcast information about A(H1N1),” he said,

referring to the swine flu virus that has already claimed three lives in Cambodia and infected 133 people.

Following the three deaths – a 41 year-old woman, a 47-year-old man and a 25 year-old pregnant woman – Cambodians must increase their vigilance, the health minister said, adding that those most vulnerable are pregnant mothers and people with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, kidney disease, liver disease, HIV/AIDS and obesity.