Thai taxi driver who had coronavirus tells Wuhan to keep fighting

[snoop1130]

Thai taxi driver who had coronavirus tells Wuhan to keep fighting

 

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai cab driver who recovered from the new coronavirus after catching it from Chinese tourists said on Wednesday he wanted to encourage the city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, to keep fighting the virus.

 

“I watched the news everyday from my quarantine room and send my support to Wuhan,” said the 50-year-old driver, who wore a surgical mask to conceal his identity at a news conference.

“Even I can beat it. So can you,” the driver said as he was discharged from hospital.

 

The driver checked himself into hospital after coughing heavily. He was identified as Thailand’s first case of human-to-human transmission on Jan. 31.

 

With 25 cases Thailand has had more virus infections than any other country except China. Nine people have recovered and 16 patients are being treated. The virus has killed nearly 500 people, nearly all of them in China.

 

“When I found out I had the virus, I cried because I have to take care of my family,” the driver said. “But I don’t have a bad feeling against tourists or the Chinese. I drive a taxi, tourists are my breadbasket.”

 

Thailand received some 11 million tourists from China last year.

 

Doctors praised the driver for stopping work and reporting himself as soon as he fell ill. His family have all tested negative for the virus.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-05

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[CGW]

I'm sure the residents of Wuhan will be revelling in the sage advice given by this "taxi driver ???? 

Thankful that they can in future be his "breadbasket" & possibly surprised at his excellent use of the English language!

[sahibji]

sure not only wuhan but the entire world needs to fight this dreaded virus.

[mtls2005]

It would be awesome if the Thai medical "authorities" could share his case details (progression of the infection, treatment, body temp etc.). 

 

Without a few more details the skepticism meter is pegging on this one.

 

 

[justin case]

here is a theory : possible that some people in Thailand might have HIV and taking anti-retrovirals and then recover magically ?

[yellowboat]

And keep fighting by just eating vegetables for a year, or there will be another virus and another virus and so on.  Just like coups in Thailand.  Thailand has coups and China produces deadly viruses.   They are both actually not that difficult to stop. 

[Assurancetourix]

13 minutes ago, justin case said:

here is a theory : possible that some people in Thailand might have HIV and taking anti-retrovirals and then recover magically ?

Why not a taxi driver? 

 

These very awkward attempts on the part of the government to make us believe that

everyone is beautiful, everyone is nice make me smile ... yellow, of course

[lamyai3]

The driver sounds like a great guy, appreciative of his customers, and responsible and uncomplaining about getting sick and losing income. Kudos. 

[RichardColeman]

Bet he has a massive 'amulet'

[lamyai3]

28 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

It would be awesome if the Thai medical "authorities" could share his case details (progression of the infection, treatment, body temp etc.). 

 

Without a few more details the skepticism meter is pegging on this one.

The mortality rate is 2%, highly likely for him to recover at this stage in the development of the virus. 

[Assurancetourix]

3 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Bet he has a massive 'amulet'

Certainly , he had  ....

[mtls2005]

5 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

The driver sounds like a great guy, appreciative of his customers, and responsible and uncomplaining about getting sick and losing income. Kudos. 

And people say this old-time propaganda doesn't work.

 

 

2 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

The mortality rate is 2%, highly likely for him to recover at this stage in the development of the virus. 

Well no one has died here, yet, so yeah.

 

I'm just saying that sharing the details of his case would go a long towards keeping the public informed. And potentially ease any public concerns?

 

 

 

[lamyai3]

3 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

And people say this old-time propaganda doesn't work.

True, I'm taking the report at face value. It's of course entirely possibly he was rewarded for his comments and raised fists. 

[micmichd]

18 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

The mortality rate is 2%, highly likely for him to recover at this stage in the development of the virus. 

Maybe he survived a couple of virus attacks before and now has a strong immune system. 

[mtls2005]

7 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

True, I'm taking the report at face value.

 

You did a bit more than that, don't be shy...

 

24 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

The driver sounds like a great guy, appreciative of his customers, and responsible and uncomplaining about getting sick and losing income. Kudos. 

 

You turned "the report" into a platitude-rich love-letter. When propaganda works, this is the result.

 

 

And why the anonymity? No such concerns with the 73 year old woman.

 

Not passing the smell test. Sorry.

 

 

[FarFlungFalang]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

With 25 cases Thailand has had more virus infections than any other country except China.

This is fake news,previous cases was 35 now 45.

 

Japan reports 10 more coronavirus cases aboard quarantined cruise ship, as total in country jumps to 45

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/06/national/science-health/japan-10-more-coronavirus-cases-quarantined-cruise-ship/#.XjtnMBhh2Rs

[SkyNets]

I’m sure somebody was tempted to add an extra twist ‘’he also returned a large amount of cash left in his cab after fully recovering’’.

[Naamblar2014]

Previous poster beat me to it.

Edited February 6, 2020 by Naamblar2014

[potless]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The virus has killed nearly 500 people, nearly all of them in China.

The latest death toll now stands at 564 with 28,000 plus confirmed cases, according to CGTN channel news. { China Global Television Network }

Edited February 6, 2020 by potless

[HHTel]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

With 25 cases Thailand has had more virus infections than any other country except China.

And Japan (45), and Singapore (28)

 

 

[HHTel]

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

Recovered after just 5 days!  Thats a f***ing miracle!!!

Adds weight to the speculation by many medical authorities that there are many infections that have not been reported due to either no symptoms or very mild symptoms.  These cases will have recovered.

Most people will recover anyway, without treatment.

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thai taxi driver who had coronavirus tells Wuhan to keep fighting

Is this going to be the government MO from now on, the lady from nakhon pathom thanking her doctors, the taxi driver giving his blessing to Wuhan?

Very tedious the way Thailand tries to show it's coping!

 

 

[mtls2005]

7 minutes ago, HHTel said:

Adds weight to the speculation by many medical authorities that there are many infections that have not been reported due to either no symptoms or very mild symptoms. 

 

"weight", "speculation", "many", "medical authorities", "many" etc. /sigh

 

8 minutes ago, HHTel said:

Most people will recover anyway, without treatment.

Cool.

 

But the "taxi driver" did receive treatment - other news articles mention...

 

The man tested positive for the virus at Taksin Hospital in Bangkok, and was transferred to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute on Jan 28.

 

and he was discharged on Feb. 5.

 

Amazing Thailand.

 

 

[4MyEgo]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

said the 50-year-old driver, who wore a surgical mask to conceal his identity at a news conference.

“Even I can beat it. So can you,” the driver said as he was discharged from hospital.

No doubt Mr Prayut will be in a photo shoot sooner or later with the 71 year old woman recently treated and now this 50 year old taxi driver.

 

If there are any deaths in the future, just wondering if he will be in any of the shots ?

 

If the Thai doctors did actually treat (not cure) these two individuals, well done as this could treat (not cure) everyone with the virus worldwide, I say treat, because there is no cure for these types of viruses, just look at the influenza (flu) different strains and how many worldwide it kills every year, 500,000 plus, but we don't hear about that often in the news, sort of human culling come winter/spring season depending on what part of the globe your on......just a thought ????

 

[micmichd]

15 minutes ago, HHTel said:

And Japan (45), and Singapore (28)

 

 

Just for comparison:

 https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html 

The symptoms of flu are quite similar to these of the current Coronavirus disease, and both are contagious. 

I wonder how many Western tourists spread the flu in Thailand, especially to taxi drivers.   But the Thais survived the flu somehow, even without vaccinations. And precisely this might strengthen their immune system now so their bodies can also fight the new Corona Virus now. 

 

Some more resarch should be done to find out if the human immune system has a memory. 

 

[kwak250]

Rather than say keep fighting i would probably say leave the bats in the cave.

[mtls2005]

9 minutes ago, micmichd said:

But the Thais survived the flu somehow

 

Thailand has its own flu season, starts in June.

 

Annual flu shots are available here, I get one.

 

Thailand has its own National Influenza Center  http://www.thainihnic.org/influenza/main.php

 

 

Most reasonably informed people are aware of Influenza A, B, C, D and the impacts on health, and the death toll it takes. 

 

 

[HHTel]

18 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

But the "taxi driver" did receive treatment - other news articles mention...

Quote

There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for 2019-nCoV infection. People infected with 2019-nCoV should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms. For severe cases, treatment should include care to support vital organ functions.

There is no vaccine and no cure and no real treatment!

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

[mtls2005]

Just now, HHTel said:

There is no vaccine and no cure and no real treatment!

Who said there was? !

 

"Treatment" presumably means some combination of standard flu/pneumonia treatments: IV, O2.

 

Perhaps the news reports should have used the word "care"?

 

FWIW, some Thai authories claim the retroviral "treatment" was vital to the 73 YO woman's recovery/"cure".

 

That said, he seems to have made a "miraculous" recovery.

 

 

 

 

[CGW]

23 minutes ago, kwak250 said:

Rather than say keep fighting i would probably say leave the bats in the cave.

You buying into the "bats" story? think the taxi drivers story is more plausible, though sure he would not have said "breadbasket" "rice-bowl" would have been a little more believable!

In January 2018, China's first maximum security virology laboratory (biosecurity level 4) designed for the study of the world's most dangerous pathogens opened its doors — in Wuhan.^41,42 Is it pure coincidence that Wuhan City is now the epicenter of this novel coronavirus infection?