No ‘hidden’ virus cases in Thailand, official insists

By THE NATION

 

Sopon Iamsirithaworn

 

Thailand’s current barricade against the spread of Covid-19 takes the form of two-stage screenings for the virus in eight provinces and ramped-up checks on Thais returning home from countries and territories where it’s been found, the director of the Disease Control Department said on Wednesday (February 19).

 

Sopon Iamsirithaworn said many returning Thais have been conscientious about making sure they are not infected after travelling abroad.

 

He pointed out that the number of Chinese tourists coming to Thailand has dropped by 90 per cent, bringing a corresponding plunge in the risk of the virus spreading here. 

 

“But screenings will continue, to make sure we’re as safe as possible,” Sopon said.

 

Asked about a rumour that the Health Ministry might be “hiding” cases, since the virus has spread fast in Hong Kong and Singapore while remaining stable in Thailand, Sopon insisted that all the details being shared were true. 

 

“We really have found no new infections recently, even though we’re screening more people.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30382422

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-19

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Yep,  I believe - I've seen the light...

 

well not a lot of Chinese in PATTAYA any more , and no tour buses ,but i do feel sorry for some of the stallholders a couple of km from us at a Temple ,there used to be loads ,now all gone except for a couple .

50 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

No ‘hidden’ virus cases in Thailand, official insists

idiot; has he ever heard of an 'incubation period ' ?

Yep,, right. ????

Thailand is different......

regards Worgeordie

1 hour ago, bert bloggs said:

well not a lot of Chinese in PATTAYA any more , and no tour buses ,but i do feel sorry for some of the stallholders a couple of km from us at a Temple ,there used to be loads ,now all gone except for a couple .

Yes, but there were for weeks and months before the situation in China became public. There are theories that is started there a lot earlier than that time. 

So where are the central testing centers? 

Is the testing free?

Free for foreigners?

What is the motivation as it seems not so easy to get test for people with mild flu symptoms to get tested?

Edited February 19, 20206 yr by Jingthing

With 1.1 million arrivals from China in January, statistically 71 infected Chinese have been walking the street in Thailand. 

Did they pass the bug?

Based on the cruise ship infection rate, probably yes.

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So where are the central testing centers? 

Is the testing free?

Free for foreigners?

What is the motivation as it seems not so easy to get test for people with mild flu symptoms to get tested?

Jingthing, no need panic.

you lucky you live in thailand. We prepared and nobody die in Thailand from corona. 

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So where are the central testing centers? 

Is the testing free?

Free for foreigners?

What is the motivation as it seems not so easy to get test for people with mild flu symptoms to get tested?

I do not understand that comment. I would believe that  anyone who presented with severe symptoms of any respitory infection at a hospital would be tested accordingly. What causes a distortion in statistics is the unknown numbers of those who suffer symptoms not serious enough to give cause for notifiable medical intervention. That would also  apply to  coronavirus cases. 

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

idiot; has he ever heard of an 'incubation period ' ?

Nah...

2 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

I do not understand that comment. I would believe that  anyone who presented with severe symptoms of any respitory infection at a hospital would be tested accordingly. What causes a distortion in statistics is the unknown numbers of those who suffer symptoms not serious enough to give cause for notifiable medical intervention. That would also  apply to  coronavirus cases. 

As far as I know, only 3 hospitals have the capability of testing for the new corona virus and they are all located in Bangkok.

If somebody show up with a fever and flu symptoms in say Hat Yai or Udon Thani, it is very unlikely they will be tested. 

I deeply trust any statements and statistics given by the honorable Thai government or the TAT. Thais never lie, ai farang!

Email to all staff at Prince of Songkhla University that a patient has been diagnosed with Covid-19.... we will see if this is added to the number of cases in Thailand...... I have my doubts

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Covid-19

 

34 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

With 1.1 million arrivals from China in January, statistically 71 infected Chinese have been walking the street in Thailand. 

Did they pass the bug?

Based on the cruise ship infection rate, probably yes.

The current theory is that each case infects four new people. Do the math. 

17 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

I do not understand that comment. I would believe that  anyone who presented with severe symptoms of any respitory infection at a hospital would be tested accordingly. What causes a distortion in statistics is the unknown numbers of those who suffer symptoms not serious enough to give cause for notifiable medical intervention. That would also  apply to  coronavirus cases. 

Actually it sounds like you DO understand. People with mild or no symptoms infect others as well. 

Edited February 19, 20206 yr by Jingthing

If they were more transparent then there would be no need to say they have nothing to hide. 

1 minute ago, Tayaout said:

If they were more transparent then there would be no need to say they have nothing to hide. 

I'm a westerner and naturally a skeptic anyway. I wonder if the Thai public takes these government announcements that the virus isn't spreading here literally. I have no way of knowing either way. Just logic knowing about the masses of Chinese people here during that window period where China didn't even seem to know. 

It's a real show today.

 

Big increases :

- 20 new cases in South Korea (51 total)
- 10 new cases in Japan (84 total)

 

Those 2 countries along with Singapore are the real acid test.

 

Because more developped than Thailand... And a little more serious about things....

 

Especially Tokyo, because it has exactly the same weather than Wuhan.

And pressure is huge with the Olympic games.

 

Furthermore, but it's just a feeling, japanese like hygiene. And this virus must annoy/disturb them big times (more than the radioactive fumes from Fukushima....)

 

Singapore is tropical. So there is still the idea of weather (warm) that could weaken the virus.

 

-79 news cases on the ship... total 624.. At this stage, the whole thing is just grotesque... Let's say that all the 3700 passengers are infected.

This idea of "quarantine" on a big ship... is just a disaster.

 

Singapore + 3

HK + 1

 

Even... Iran has... 2 cases.

 

But Thailand sou sou... 35. Since 2 days.

 

The thing is... The official is right : "we don't hide new cases".

 

They just do not look for them !

????

 

Classic thai (white) lie.

 

Anyway... In 2 weeks we will know for sure. If the exponential line continues... 

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Actually it sounds like you DO understand. People with mild or no symptoms infect others as well. 

Yes, I do understand the potential for transmission. What I  am trying to refer to is that it is little different in outcome to other existing viral infections in terms of  transmission  and morbidity.

Why is it that  MERS is  now publiclly  ignored to the point of irrelevance? It is still out there! Morbidity rate horrendus! Is there  any proposal to  ban  movement of people from  incident localities?

There  need  be some  better  consideration of the possible politerization of  what is ongoing re' Covid19 !

 

 

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I'm a westerner and naturally a skeptic anyway. I wonder if the Thai public takes these government announcements that the virus isn't spreading here literally. I have no way of knowing either way. Just logic knowing about the masses of Chinese people here during that window period where China didn't even seem to know. 

I usually believe the opposite of what government tell me especially if I can't verify the information.

 

On the other hand I don't doubt what the government in Singapore is saying since they seem very transparent and they provide detailed reports. 

Edited February 19, 20206 yr by Tayaout

2 minutes ago, christophe75 said:

...

 

They just do not look for them !

????

...

That is my take. To find cases you need to aggressively promote testing and fully organize the national reporting protocols. Have they done that? I don't speak Thai so you tell me. 

You can't hide something that hasn't been found yet, he's right about that.

 

How's that RT-PCR diagnosis backlog doing, eh? Still growing in sync with the PUIs? Yeah, nobody knows because MoPH stopped publishing the numbers days ago.

Hmmm, I wish I had a decent contribution to the thread.  My wife is with the ministry of health, she absolutely deflects and denies any information other than what this guys says, is available.  More of a.......a pre-programmed approved boiler plate response is what she shares.  A robot of a response, similar to commenting about royals, all very aesthetically pleasing (a disciplined Thai response). 

18 minutes ago, CanuckThai said:

Hmmm, I wish I had a decent contribution to the thread.  My wife is with the ministry of health, she absolutely deflects and denies any information other than what this guys says, is available.  More of a.......a pre-programmed approved boiler plate response is what she shares.  A robot of a response, similar to commenting about royals, all very aesthetically pleasing (a disciplined Thai response). 

Get her really, really drunk and then ask what she really means. A Russian technique proven to be well worthy.

 

Ah yes and don't pass out before she does.

1 hour ago, Karlo said:

Email to all staff at Prince of Songkhla University that a patient has been diagnosed with Covid-19.... we will see if this is added to the number of cases in Thailand...... I have my doubts

 

As do I for what that's worth. The problem with Thailand's management is that there could be lots of infected people who are close to being asymptomatic because their symptoms are so mild as to be confused with the cold or flu that are commonplace at this time of year. But as soon as they infect an elderly or other vulnerable person, the thing flares up. Let's see what happens in the next 4 weeks, now the incubation period has been extended from 2 weeks.

 

I have no doubt whatever that the numbers have been knowingly understated (for the security of the population - of course but also to preseve certain flagging reputations for whom a miraculous escape of TL from the 'killer' virus threatening the world would be very welcome setting aside the almost inevitable but completely bogus claims of a Thai 'cure'), but I think the combination of mild (and perhaps unreported) 'sleeper' cases and the deliberate under-estimation that's doubtless been going on may yet cause Thailand to flare up just as other countrys' numbers are perhaps beginning to decline.

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 20206 yr by ParkerN

1 hour ago, Yinn said:

Jingthing, no need panic.

you lucky you live in thailand. We prepared and nobody die in Thailand from corona. 

Maybe, maybe 

 

By cons for fatal accidents on the road or shootings in shopping centers, is Thailand  as prepared?  

Hmmm. TVF  seems  susceptible  to a different  sort  of  infection !

This was the latest daily report from the Thai Department of Disease Control as of 6 pm Feb. 18:

 

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

 

--Thus far since the beginning, 957 cases with CV type symptoms.

 

--100 of those are still being treated in hospitals (34 private and 66 government), 856 have been treated and released, and 1 is being monitored on an outpatient basis.

 

--Thus far since the beginning among all those with symptoms, 35 cases have been confirmed as CV in Thailand. 18 of those are still hospitalized, with 2 of those in serious condition, while the other 17 confirmed CV cases have been treated and released.

 

--From the prior day, it looks like they had 85 new cases of symptoms reported, and 66 patients under hospital treatment were discharged. The net gain of 19 was reflected by the hospitalized count rising by 18 from 82 to 100, and one other patient was allowed to be monitored outside of the hospital.

 

That's the OFFICIAL line here.... 

 

 

Edited February 19, 20206 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK