Leading Thai doctor in dire warning: Deadly Italian strain of Covid-19 now set to wreak havoc in Thailand

[webfact]

Leading Thai doctor in dire warning: Deadly Italian strain of Covid-19 now set to wreak havoc in Thailand

 

 

A leading physician in the fight against Covid-19 has sounded a dire warning about the spread of the virus in Thailand. 

 

He said that prior to this month Thailand was only affected by a milder strain of the virus. But now the strain that has devastated Italy and overwhelmed medical services there has arrived in Thailand.

 

The virus was introduced to a so called "super spreader" after a relative arrived back from Italy. Suddenly 50 people were infected at a boxing event and these have gone on to cause a rocket in cases in Thailand. 

 

The virus strain has the power to kill far more people than Asian strains, he said, suggesting that eight times as many people might die, many from respiratory disease.

 

Dr Manoon Leechawengwong is the ICU chief and disease expert at Bangkok's Vichaiyut Hospital in Phayathai district. He is a leading expert in respiratory illness.

 

On his personal Facebook page he painted a disturbing picture of the potential future course of the outbreak in Thailand and indicated that measures to contain its spread were not introduced in time. 

 

He said that at first Thailand had 30-40 cases and one death and there was little change for many weeks, reported Thai Rath. Thais who were infected had got a milder strain prevalent in other parts of Asia like Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. 

 

But all that changed after a boxing event at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok on March 6th. 

 

He said that a relative of a person in the boxing fraternity who had been to Italy started the spread of the Italian strain of the virus. 

 

The person in the boxing fraternity was a "super spreader" who infected 50 people at Lumpinee and these have gone on to infect others resulting in a rapid rise and rapid expansion in the location of cases in Thailand. 

 

He said that this strain is much more severe and has a far higher mortality rate because of its ability to cause onset of severe respiratory disease and even heart related problems.

 

He pointed to the fact that in Italy there had been 47,021 cases and 4,032 deaths or 8.6%. By comparison in South Korea 8,799 had been infected with only 102 deaths making the death rate just 1.1%. 

 

He accepted that there are a lot of older and thus more vulnerable people in Italy but he countered that argument by saying that Japan, where the aging population is very similar, have been able to keep deaths to a far lower level than Italy again because the virus strain is different. 

 

He said that the closure of places like boxing - now in force in Bangkok and other areas in Thailand - came too late to save the country from being infected with the virulent strain from Italy. 

 

If closures had been ordered before the beginning of March, it could have been averted. Likewise if all people at the boxing - and there were 5,000 attendees - were quarantined it could have been contained. 

 

It was clear from his comments that too little was done too late and now Thailand is facing the consequences of an explosion in cases of a strain of Covid-19 far more severe than was previously being experienced. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-03-23

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[darksidedog]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

It was clear from his comments that too little was done too late

It's great in retrospect to be able to see the sense in shutting the stable door, while you still have a horse, though he is simply uttering what many of us have been saying for nearly two months now, that Thailand should have had a strict immigration procedure in place a long time ago. Keeping the arms open in welcome for so long to save tourism numbers, was bound to have consequences sooner or later.

I didn't see any scientific evidence above to back up his claim this is a different strain, so hope he has that at least partially wrong.

[Somtamnication]

This is getting out of control.

[Boomer6969]

Amazing racist twist of science.

[NCC1701A]

there are more than two strains of the virus now. the Italian one is different.

 

and many comparisons to Italy and Thailand now in terms of potential numbers. 

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2020 by NCC1701A

[aqua4]

8 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

This is getting out of control.

You think?How about a bus load of super spreaders heading for the rural areas. If there was ever an argument against globalism then this virus must be it.

 

[Yadon Toploy]

It's hard to remain empathic in the face of such stupidity, but we must try. 

[NB1986]

Yeah ofcourse, Italian strain ????Farang strain is stronger, but nobody say that so many people die because Italian people at all dont respect the rules that government imposed to stop the virus, also the buses were running, people went normally to work, they were hanging outside same nothing is wrong. Its not the super strain is the very bad reaction from EU governments and underestimating the virus telling to people all the time "we are ready" same as Thai government was saying and now look? Before was mild strain but still killed 3000 chinese? If we believe the numbers to Chinese government but we all know that way more Chinese died even those who got recovered and sick again, Chinese built 3 hospitals and ordered immidately lockdown of the city Wuhan and later Hubei province. And is very hard to be more deadlier virus, if is going amongst more peoplen is getting weaker, not stronger just this should Thais learn not first show spot on Farangs.

Edited March 23, 2020 by NB1986

[newatthis]

7 minutes ago, Chazar said:

confirmation the dirty Farang brought it here

or a Thai coming home from Italy.

 

[nausea]

The received wisdom is that health services were overwhelmed in Italy, rather than a more deadly strain or demographics, hence the UK strategy of flattening the curve and enhancing NHS resources. As a leading physician, you'd think he'd know that. What it does illustrate, though, is that this virus, of whatever strain, can be far more deadly than generally perceived, if proper medical care is not available.

[timendres]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

there are more than two strains of the virus now. the Italian one is different.

 

and many comparisons to Italy and Thailand now in terms of potential numbers. 

I was not aware of this.

 

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2236544-coronavirus-are-there-two-strains-and-is-one-more-deadly/

[xtof2]

7 minutes ago, aqua4 said:

You think?How about a bus load of super spreaders heading for the rural areas. If there was ever an argument against globalism then this virus must be it.

 

 

They are all farangs, can't you see !

Not good to be an Italian in Thailand these days !

Edited March 23, 2020 by xtof2

[cyril sneer]

More people in Italy died because more people have it, most unknowingly or unable to get tested

 

Look at the number of professional footballers there that have had it and what percentage of the population these footballers make up of the country 

[Fex Bluse]

In other words, the Thais have found a crafty way to blame the Farangs

 

In Thailand, all deaths will be attributed to the Italian Strain 

[wasabi]

I see a few people are at least protecting their chin with their face mask. As we know the chin is main entry point for transmission.

[DeeMak9]

Oh my god, the ignorance again here on ThaiVisa ???? It's know for weeks there there are two strains.

Edited March 23, 2020 by DeeMak9

[Yadon Toploy]

2 minutes ago, DeeMak9 said:

Oh my god, and the ignorance again here on ThaiVisa ???? It's know for weeks there there are two strains.

No evidence that either originated or came from Italy though.

 

Both strains were found in China in early January.

[Tayaout]

Nice Chinese propaganda. Both known SARS-CoV-2 strains originated in Wuhan. 

 

"A separate analysis by the team suggests that the L-type was derived from the older S-type. The first strain is likely to have emerged around the time the virus jumped from animals to humans. The second emerged soon after that, says the team. Both are involved in the current global outbreak. The fact that the L-type is more prevalent suggests that it is “more aggressive” than the S-type, the team say."

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2236544-coronavirus-are-there-two-strains-and-is-one-more-deadly/

[GeorgeCross]

16 minutes ago, newatthis said:

or a Thai coming home from Italy.

 

and how the F did it get to Italy?

 

popped out for a pizza??

 

anyways.. the fix is in, dirty farang did it, face is saved

 

[toofarnorth]

18 minutes ago, newatthis said:

or a Thai coming home from Italy.

 

THANK you !   Where can I read that it is an italian , it did say a relative of a person who had been to Italy. More blasted scare mongering.

[thequietman]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

If closures had been ordered before the beginning of March, it could have been averted. Likewise if all people at the boxing - and there were 5,000 attendees - were quarantined it could have been contained. 

A fantastic earner for the people that own the stadium ( yes, I know who owns it), so was never going to be cancelled. ????

[MikeyScars]

Italians fault now?!?!

Forget about it!! 

I think he's smoking with Anutin. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said that the closure of places like boxing - now in force in Bangkok and other areas in Thailand - came too late to save the country from being infected with the virulent strain from Italy. 

 

If closures had been ordered before the beginning of March, it could have been averted. Likewise if all people at the boxing - and there were 5,000 attendees - were quarantined it could have been contained. 

 

That's been pretty apparent for some time... But good luck in getting the government to admit to that failing.  He may be an infectious disease expert. But the government is expert at leaving the barn door half open months after the horses have all bolted.

 

 

[cmarshall]

It's possible that the current strain of corona is Italy is very different from what's in Japan or S. Korea, but I doubt that that explains the different outcomes.  We don't know much about what has happened in Japan, but we do know they didn't do much testing.  So, maybe their containment efforts were effective or they just got lucky so far or the virus is more rampant there than we know.  But we do know what happened in S. Korea.  The head of the Korean CDC compelled 20 manufacturers of biologic test kits to attend a meeting held in the Seoul train station on Dec. 31, 2019 at a time when there were fewer than 100 corona cases in China.  The companies were ordered to produce test kits at scale, which is what enabled the Koreans to test 10,000 to 15,000 people per day.  They isolated people who tested positive and then traced their contacts, tested those people, and isolated the positives, on and on.

 

Italy never took any of those steps.  They didn't test widely and early despite the time lag advantage they had over Korea.  And they never traced contacts.

 

It seems unnecessary to conjecture some more powerful strain to explain the mess the Italians find themselves in.

[dinsdale]

This is the Chinese propaganda at work. There is as far as I know no solid evidence of different strains. Also the virus was originally introduced into Italy by Chinese tourists and an expat returning from Wuhan and spread rapidly. This is the line the CCP is running around the world trying to deflect culpability for this and their disaster upon humanity. If this went to court there is no possible way of a non-guilty verdict. They knew about it and released to the world.

Edited March 23, 2020 by dinsdale

[smedly]

The experts say that the difference in the single strain S/L are so small that one would not be more deadly than the other 

 

So this so called Thai expert is blowing it

 

and just to add the original boxing stadium did not mention anyone from Italy 

 

This is a clear attempt to blame Farangs and is a very dangerous path to take, the virus originated in China ................ period, Thailand kept its borders fully open for weeks (and still is open) when people were advising them this was an error 

 

Now we are all at risk - everyone living and breathing in this country - who's fault is that - I know exactly, I'm off for a shower I'm feeling stinky

[smedly]

28 minutes ago, newatthis said:

or a Thai coming home from Italy.

 

don't believe a word they say, very dangerous and stupid path they are going down

[fruitman]

5 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

This is the Chinese propaganda at work. There is as far as I know no solid evidence of different strains. Also the virus was originally introduced into Italy by Chinese tourists and an expat returning from Wuhan and spread rapidly. This is the line the CCP is running around the world trying to deflect culpability for this and their disaster upon humanity. If this went to court there is no posible way of a non-guilty verdict. They knew about it and released to the world.

So if you don't know it then it doesn't exist, right? Are you a Murrican?

 

What about googling before you spout nonsense?

[fruitman]

3 minutes ago, smedly said:

The experts say that the difference in the single strain S/L are so small that one would not be more deadly than the other 

 

So this so called Thai expert is blowing it

 

and just to add the original boxing stadium did not mention anyone from Italy 

 

This is a clear attempt to blame Farangs and is a very dangerous path to take, the virus originated in China ................ period, Thailand kept its borders fully open for weeks (and still is open) when people were advising them this was an error 

 

Now we are all at risk - everyone living and breathing in this country - who's fault is that - I know exactly, I'm off for a shower I'm feeling stinky

The italian strain is more deadly, the virus has mutated....google it.

[NB1986]

22 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

More people in Italy died because more people have it, most unknowingly or unable to get tested

 

Look at the number of professional footballers there that have had it and what percentage of the population these footballers make up of the country 

I think in Italy was the football match between Atalanta and Valencia on 19.02.2019, more than 60.000 people including many of Valencia fans which they tested positive later also the return match of this game was behind close doors but,

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8097139/amp/Valencia-fans-rock-thousands-outside-Mestalla-despite-told-stay-away.html

 

the people didnt listened to government to stay away. Now the epicentre is going from Italy to Spain. Is logical pattern, also if you look for example Atletico Madrid - Liverpool the first match at Madrid at full stadium even is known already than that few cases were in Europe, so thats how is spreaded so deadly and rapidly in europe, is because of mass people on one spot, if we add also the lack of government response for close borders, and underestimating the virus by the people "is same as normal seasonal flu" we have this outcome in Europe.