Coronavirus cases in Thailand remain at 32

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Coronavirus cases in Thailand remain at 32

 

 

Confirmed cases of coronavirus in Thailand remain at 32 persons – nine Thais and 23 Chinese – with 10 having returned home and 22 in hospital, while the condition of one Thai who returned from Wuhan, China, is normal, Public Health Ministry spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said today (February 10).

 

The coronavirus surveillance programme has seen a total of 689 patients, 50 per cent Thai and the remaining 50 Chinese. Of these, 334 were allowed to go home, most having seasonal influenza.

 

The ministry found that the virus earlier spread in five areas – Region 1 in the upper North, Bangkok Metropolitan Region 4, Region 13 in Bangkok, Region 6 in the East and Region 11 in the upper South.

 

“According to a survey on demand for medical masks in more than 1,000 hospitals, we found that there are approximately one million masks in stock,” Taweesin said.

 

Meanwhile, the director of the department dealing with communicable diseases, Dr Sopon Iamsirithawon, said the number of Chinese tourists had declined due to a ban on them leaving the country and the closure of Chinese airports for more than 10 days. Therefore, there have been no new cases of Chinese tourists entering. The focus this week will be on monitoring high-risk groups to diagnosis and prevent any spread of infection to the Thai public.

 

Answering a question on blood donation from a taxi driver who recovered from the virus, Taweesin said a recent study of new disease treatments has shown that when healed, a person will become immune to the virus.

 

They gain strong immunity after approximately two weeks and the best immunity after about four weeks or a month; after this, however, the immune system may gradually decrease. Therefore, the blood of a recovered person can be immediately extracted to obtain lymphatic cells that have immunity, or antibodies.

 

This is considered a better plan than medicine, since the immune system can catch pathogens, he added. This idea was taken from the time of SARS, when people who survived were asked for blood to be used to treat other cases, and during the Ebola era, when an American doctor was infected and received blood from an African boy who had recovered from the virus.

 

“We have heard that a medical team in China is currently working on this too. China has thousands of patients who have been healed using blood from recovered patients. For Thailand right now, there is only one taxi driver who has recovered. The rest are Chinese people returning to their country. In the Nakhon Pathom case, the elderly woman did not meet the criteria for blood donation because of her age – 73 – and heart disease,” Taweesin said.

 

“The amount of blood used is the same as normal blood donations. In the future, if more people recover, they may be requested to donate blood for studies. The blood of recovered patients can be injected into two others in a severe condition, with a 48-hour wait for lab results. However, it cannot be developed into a vaccine because of the decrease in condition brought on by the virus,” he added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381896

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-10

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[Kemp87]

Feels like we’re in a period of limbo, let’s hope we’re not in a period of lag! 32 cases still feels too good to be true when considering 130 people managed to get infected on one single cruise ship alone.

  Thai news on TV obviously focusing on the recent shooting which is understandable. But coronavirus must remain big news, this is a period which relies on people being super cautious and not being complacent, there is still potential to contain this is Thailand, but when I go outside I’m seeing no one with masks on or carrying alcohol gels etc. (I’m in Pattaya not Bangkok so can’t speak for Bangkok)

    It’s encouraging to hear that barely any Chinese are entering, when considering not even Hong Kong is allowing Chinese in (without quarantine) it’s crazy Thailand is still allowing entry! I’m a little more optimistic than a few weeks back but still apprehensive regarding the numbers, especially the 300+ suspected which remains abit vague in detail. 

[InsertNameHere]

https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Data sources: WHO, CDC, ECDC, NHC and DXY.

[Samuel Smith]

I'm wondering what the effect of Thailand's hot weather is having on the low numbers of cases.

 

https://nusmedicine.nus.edu.sg/medias/news-info/2230-hot-and-humid-weather-may-end-the-novel-coronavirus

[christophe75]

24 minutes ago, Kemp87 said:

Feels like we’re in a period of limbo, let’s hope we’re not in a period of lag! 32 cases still feels too good to be true when considering 130 people managed to get infected on one single cruise ship alone.

 

 

In a way this ship... helps to increase awareness.

 

There is one good news today : "

Dr Narong Aphikulvanich, deputy director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said that public and private hospitals in provinces popular with Chinese tourists would set up special clinics to examine  people being treated for influenza in particular.

This would help with the early detection of novel coronavirus infections, as the two viruses produce similar symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing and fever, Dr Narong said."

 

They start to admit that the Wuwuflu can look just like a common flu or... a simple... cold.

 

It's a good start.

[EricTh]

Let's hope that all these patients will recover soon.

 

Countries who close doors to people seeking help are not humanitarian.

 

Thailand is doing a good job and more compassionate than certain ' more developed' countries.

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by EricTh

[anto]

11 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Let's hope that all these patients will recover soon.

 

Countries who close doors to people seeking help are not humanitarian.

 

Thailand is doing a good job and more compassionate than certain ' more developed' countries.

 

Thailands motovization is money before people. They should be protecting their own population first.

[AverageBloke]

14 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Let's hope that all these patients will recover soon.

 

Countries who close doors to people seeking help are not humanitarian.

 

Thailand is doing a good job and more compassionate than certain ' more developed' countries.

 

The basic rule of first aid is to check for danger so you can continue to render assistance. I agree mankind has a duty of care but that requires structure or we become the blind leading the blind. 

Edited February 10, 2020 by AverageBloke
Correction.

[Kemp87]

32 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

I'm wondering what the effect of Thailand's hot weather is having on the low numbers of cases.

 

https://nusmedicine.nus.edu.sg/medias/news-info/2230-hot-and-humid-weather-may-end-the-novel-coronavirus

Fascinating read, this thought did cross my mind but I was wondering wether it was more wishful thinking, that article is promising ????????

[Samuel Smith]

1 minute ago, Kemp87 said:

Fascinating read, this thought did cross my mind but I was wondering wether it was more wishful thinking, that article is promising ????????

Similar thoughts when i read it.  Then I googled Wuhan's weather - cold!  

 

Keep away from air conditioned malls etc.  The  Brit who caught it in singapore attended a conference, probably never left an aircon environment.  Then he passed it on to others in a French ski resort.

[spiekerjozef]

They still be 32 three months from now.

 

Sorry a big cruise ship with possible infected set sail to Laem Chabang, arriving thursday. So it might change...

Edited February 10, 2020 by spiekerjozef

[Kemp87]

12 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

Similar thoughts when i read it.  Then I googled Wuhan's weather - cold!  

 

Keep away from air conditioned malls etc.  The  Brit who caught it in singapore attended a conference, probably never left an aircon environment.  Then he passed it on to others in a French ski resort.

I guess the suspiciously low infection rates in countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and phillipines are other things to cling onto.

Hong Kong temperature is in the low 20’s right now and also has relatively low infection rate compared to mainland China.

[christophe75]

55 minutes ago, Kemp87 said:

Fascinating read, this thought did cross my mind but I was wondering wether it was more wishful thinking, that article is promising ????????

 

As far as... Singapore is concerned... yes, it's BS, lalaland, and wishfull thinking...

 

Singapore = 43 confirmed cases.

 

https://www.moh.gov.sg/2019-ncov-wuhan

 

Weather : between 26 and 30 degrees. And 70 % humidity...

[Thunder26]

3 hours ago, Samuel Smith said:

I'm wondering what the effect of Thailand's hot weather is having on the low numbers of cases.

 

https://nusmedicine.nus.edu.sg/medias/news-info/2230-hot-and-humid-weather-may-end-the-novel-coronavirus

Ther are speculations that hot and humid weather isn't good for the virus. I understand hot, but I can't understand humid is bad for the virus. Water is the trigger of life for every living thing, including viruses.

[Thunder26]

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

Let's hope that all these patients will recover soon.

 

Countries who close doors to people seeking help are not humanitarian.

 

Thailand is doing a good job and more compassionate than certain ' more developed' countries.

 

Thailand is taking a huge risk by doing that. The final outcome could be great and Thailand would be the hero nation in the eyes of China, or it could've been a huge mistake with an outbreak and colapse of Thai economy. It's a Russian Roulette in my opinion.

[Thunder26]

2 hours ago, Kemp87 said:

I guess the suspiciously low infection rates in countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and phillipines are other things to cling onto.

Hong Kong temperature is in the low 20’s right now and also has relatively low infection rate compared to mainland China.

It's just speculations and I go with my guts that we don't get the real picture. I feel that there is a cover up in the real numbers of people infected with corona virus. It might be intentional, especially acknowledging Khun Anutin. You can't trust anything what he says. There is also the lag in testing the patients in Thailand and the countries mentioned by you (Kemp87). Therefore we don't know yet what to expect, just be ready for the worst. I really hope this blows away and we come back to normal lives as it is really stressful.

[DrJack54]

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

Let's hope that all these patients will recover soon.

 

Countries who close doors to people seeking help are not humanitarian.

 

Thailand is doing a good job and more compassionate than certain ' more developed' countries.

 

My nomination for most ridiculous post 2020. 

BTW there are 20+ countries that have refused entry from Chinese Nationals.

China themselves stopped all flights OUT of China for group travel to Thailand etc.

Thai are not being compassionate. They are being plain greedy. 

[SteveK]

I don't think that Thailand is fudging the numbers, but China 100% is.

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, SteveK said:

I don't think that Thailand is fudging the numbers, but China 100% is.

That is the big worry.

Aside from that....

Currently the cruise ship docked Japan is very worrying concern. They have limited medical resources apart from monitor and remove folk test positive. The increase in cases today on that ship is imo alarming.

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by DrJack54

[impulse]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

My nomination for most ridiculous post 2020. 

BTW there are 20+ countries that have refused entry from Chinese Nationals.

China themselves stopped all flights OUT of China for group travel to Thailand etc.

Thai are not being compassionate. They are being plain greedy. 

 

That's easy for you to say.  There's absolutely no downside for you if Thailand locked out the Chinese, with or without the coronavirus.  And the contribution to GDP of those 20 countries from Chinese tourism is a tiny speck compared to the millions of Thai people who feed their families with Chinese tourist money. 

 

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

That's easy for you to say.  There's absolutely no downside for you if Thailand locked out the Chinese, with or without the coronavirus.  And the contribution to GDP of those 20 countries from Chinese tourism is a tiny speck compared to the millions of Thai people who feed their families with Chinese tourist money. 

 

IMHO again foolish thinking. Fortunately like all pandemic this will have a limited time span. 

There is a saying ...short term pain for long term gain.

Chinese tourism given their government stopping group tours along with other issues has most likely cut Chinese tourists by maybe 80%. Only quoting Thaivisa articles. 

And your plan sir? Ostrich policy

Edited February 10, 2020 by DrJack54

[Salerno]

  

18 minutes ago, impulse said:

And the contribution to GDP of those 20 countries from Chinese tourism is a tiny speck

Not necessarily, Australia for instance:

 

Quote

The threat from the Chinese lockdown to tourism alone is very significant, Joiner says. China provides around 15-16% of visitors to Australia but they are the biggest contributors to the Australian bottom line when they are here, outspending American tourists by a ratio of three to one. Their spending of $12-16bn is greater than American, British, Japanese and New Zealand tourists put together.

 

Then take into account the foreign students:

 

Quote

International students bring in an estimated $35.2bn, or 8% of total exports. It’s a massive business that is transforming our cities, with student accommodation driving much of the high-rise apartment boom, and noodle and bubble tea shops springing up in the streets around university campuses.

 

Chinese students represent about one-third of the students who come to Australia, but bring in a larger proportion of the money because they gravitate to the more expensive, prestigious universities.

 

We've already got businesses in major trouble due to the Chinese lockout. Difference being from Thailand, Australian government is doing what it thinks best (rightly or wrongly) for the health of the people of Australia rather than thinking about the $.

Edited February 10, 2020 by Salerno

[christophe75]

12 minutes ago, SteveK said:

I don't think that Thailand is fudging the numbers, but China 100% is.

 

fudging ?

 

What a crazy and mean idea ! 

 

No need.

 

Suffice to... work slowly. Very slowly.

 

Here are official data (before they stopped this indicator) : "Pending lab results"

 

https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/situation.php
 

Date    confirmed    PUI    total    pending
report    cases    added    PUI    result
                
February 2    19    103    485    405
February 1    19    38    382    313
January 31    19    64    344    287
January 30    14    78    280    220
January 29    14    44    202    144
January 28    14    22    158    102
January 27    8    13    136    79
January 26    8    18    102    54
 

How do you say "joke" in thai ? ????

 

Why did they stop on february 3 ?

 

Because it looked bad ! Plain and simple.

 

We are not in the realm of science... We are doing PR.... and low level (very low level) social control.

 

The only target is to be.... not number 2 (behind China) or even third... but 4, or 5, with the number of "confirmed" cases.

 

Meanwhile, cross fingers, amulets and candles.... we hope that the virus will simply die off... By itself.

 

Singapore with 3 times less chinese tourists than Thailand... has more confirmed cases...

 

Bad luck ?

 

Perhaps.... Or perhaps not.

 

From a statistical point of view, and when we count chinese tourist in millions (and dozen of thousands directly from Wuhan)... it's rather.. funny. Before it could be tragic.

 

You can make the same calculations for South Korea, Japan.

 

The Japanese ? The more they look on this damned boat... the more they find the virus.

 

But eventually, again, we could believe in the protective power of amulets and som tam or think that the air con inside thai movie theaters (or trains, or buses) is not strong enough for the virus to survive....

 

I do not accuse Thailand : virtually all the countries in the world... follow exactly the same strategy (if we can call this a strategy...).

 

Look somewhere else, hope and wait...

 

We will know the truth soon enough.

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, Salerno said:

26 minutes ago, impulse said:

And the contribution to GDP of those 20 countries from Chinese tourism is a tiny speck

Not necessarily, Australia for instance:

 

Australian GDP is about 3% from all tourism, with about 15% of that coming from China.  Meaning about 0.5% of Australia's GDP comes from Chinese tourists.   Losing that's painful, but not catastrophic.

 

Thailand's GDP is about 20% from tourism, with 30% of those being Chinese.  Meaning about 6% of Thailand's GDP comes from Chinese tourists.  Supporting between 3-4 million Thai people.  Losing that is catastrophic for many.

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by impulse

[impulse]

18 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

And your plan sir? Ostrich policy

 

My plan?  I don't have enough information to formulate one.  Neither does anyone else on TVF here.

 

My point is that decisions are a lot more difficult if you have to consider more than 1 point of view, including unintended consequences for millions of people.  Not just my own comfort and safety.

 

[Salerno]

9 minutes ago, impulse said:

Losing that is catastrophic for many.

I agree and was not trying to downplay the affect it would have in Thailand, especially given the lack of a safety net. But the affect to Australians is certainly not a "tiny speck" as you where suggesting either.

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

My plan?  I don't have enough information to formulate one.  Neither does anyone else on TVF here.

 

My point is that decisions are a lot more difficult if you have to consider more than 1 point of view, including unintended consequences for millions of people.  Not just my own comfort and safety.

 

If your living in Thailand especially the predicted hot spots such as bkk, then your comment "not just my own comfort and safety", you may reconsider.

What has not been discussed is consequence of first expat case here.

I'm referring to compulsory medical care.

Who will pay medical cost of your incubation period. 

Got sneaky feeling it won't be Thai medical system. Even health Care is in debate.

[Soikhaonoiken]

If you believe these figures, then you will believe anything, this Government can't tell the truth if it stared them in the face.... 

[garyk]

Lady in the pic, back left. No Mask. 

Must be a Thai farang. Deport!

[dcnx]

Sure, Somchai. Whatever you say.