Mystery Illness Kills Foreign Tourists On Phi Phi Island

[george]

Mystery illness kills foreign tourists on Phi Phi

KRABI: -- Two foreign tourists have mysteriously died and two others are seriously ill from unknown causes after holidaying on Phi Phi Island.

Much speculation surrounds the circumstances of the deaths as authorities have yet to make any official statements regarding the matter.

Press Attache at the US Embassy in Bangkok Michael Turner told the Gazette that US citizen Jill St. Onge, 26, died on May 2, shortly after being taken to hospital by her boyfriend Ryan Kells, who also fell ill.

Both tourists were vomiting severely before Miss St. Onge’s admission to hospital.

Her family have set up a blog website to publicize the story. Writing on that site, Mr Kells said he suspected the air conditioning in their hotel room was responsible for making them ill and believes he survived because he had spent less time in the room than Miss St. Onge.

“... I kept getting these breaks from the air in the room, while Jill kept staying in bed. She was exposed to the air in the room for probably five or six more hours than I was,” he wrote.

The following day, the same room was rented out to two Norwegian women, both of whom developed the same symptoms.

The Norwegian Ambassador to Thailand, Merete Brattested, confirmed that Julie Michelle Bergheim, 22, died on May 4 in Bangkok Hospital Phuket.

Her friend is recovering at Bangkok Phuket Hospital. However, hospital staff refused to give out any information apart from confirming that a seriously ill Norwegian female had been admitted but she would not receive visitors or speak to anyone.

Phi Phi Island Hospital Director Dr Buncha Khakong said that the cause of both deaths is being investigated by the Department of Disease Control in Bangkok.

“I guessed something they consumed caused them to die but I cannot say clearly until we receive the lab results,” he said.

A police inquiry is now under way. The bodies of both of the deceased are understood to have been sent to Bangkok for autopsy.

Meanwhile, the popular Thaivisa.com community forum is active with posters speculating over the cause of the deaths. Poisoned drinks, faulty air conditioning, carbon monoxide and chemicals from a water treatment plant near the guesthouse have all been mentioned as possible causes.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-05-07

[Mario2008]

Here the story is that the norwegians had the same room, other reports mention they had a room next to the Americans and stayed there at the same time.

[TVmonitor]

According to 107 FM this morning there are more than two or three unexplained deaths in the area....

[LivinginKata]

More details here on Thailand News Clippings

[agt554]

Does anyone know the address of the website where the parents are posting information about this tragic situation?

Rest in peace......

[LivinginKata]

Does anyone know the address of the website where the parents are posting information about this tragic situation?

Rest in peace......

Read through the link above ....

[LivinginKata]

A bunch of highly speculative posts have been removed. Have some respect for the deceased and their families. Thank you. Follow the link I already posted (above) for all the gossip and speculation.

[SueRSA]

This is very sad for both family and friends, my greatest condolences.

Both victims lost there lives at such a young age.

[TheBrit]

This is an interesting read

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/dead-tourist-...oyfriend-11079/

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phi-phi-death...ed-women-11078/

TB

Edited May 7, 2009 by TheBrit

[Cloggy]

Which gueshouse were they staying in, Laleena Guesthouse ?

[rhythmworx]

He discounted two theories about the deaths, saying that no cyanide had been found in either the bodies to date, adding that if something in the air conditioning had killed the women, their symptoms would have been different.

How did he come to that conclusion surely logic dictates they would have the same symptoms?

[aylo]

Some news from norway

http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/05/06/nyheter...ailand/6087185/

Basicly, they are talking about that cyanid was found in the dead woman, the 2 norwegians previously shared a bucket-drink.

What i don't understand is, that the Police chief says that even if cyanid was found, he won't say that there were some criminal act... well, you don't accidentaly get cyanid in a drink. It isn't exactly something that can be found everywhere...

[humfurry]

"Something women drank" "food poisoning"...“I guessed something they consumed caused them to die but I cannot say clearly until we receive the lab results,” he (the doctor) said.

This is tragic, and I want to offer my absolute sympathy for the families and loved ones of the deceased. I hope they (the families) can get to the truth of the matter soon.

[IMBabaBobo]

Eight years ago I stayed on Pi Pi for several weeks and drank some tainted bottled water and nearly died. There wasn't a hospital then, only a clinic that was closed when I managed to drag myself to it. I had to wait until the next day, then they had to send a boat for the proper medicine. I was deathly sick for about ten days with what sounds like the same symptoms.

[johnefallis]

He discounted two theories about the deaths, saying that no cyanide had been found in either the bodies to date, adding that if something in the air conditioning had killed the women, their symptoms would have been different.

How did he come to that conclusion surely logic dictates they would have the same symptoms?

I'm sure his meaning was that if they had died of refridgerant poisoning, which is the only thing in an air conditioner that can kill you, their symptoms would have been different from what they were. Not that the two individuals would have differing symptoms from each other.

[Coolmen]

"Something women drank" "food poisoning"..."I guessed something they consumed caused them to die but I cannot say clearly until we receive the lab results," he (the doctor) said.

This is tragic, and I want to offer my absolute sympathy for the families and loved ones of the deceased. I hope they (the families) can get to the truth of the matter soon.

Yes it is tragic, but it looks for me more like an Virus or Bacteria within the Air system at the Hotel where they did stay. How I can make such a statement? For the simple fact, that I am a certified Air and water purification Specialist and know what else can be within the airconditioning system, I am still wondering that with the existing ai systems not more dead are occur. Another factor is the mention of the Air and the retention time each Person was having within the room or rooms, plays an important rule of contamination either by Virus or Bacteria within the human body.

A real mess are the Hotels in the Cambodian Thai Border area, Gambling rooms, cold Air blown in to it and polluted air sucked in from outside. No wonder they do not get any more tablets against vomiting in the Shops. Different kind but the same source of it, the Air intake system for the cooling towers, and the inlets are loved by the bad things. Bacteria and Virus will find the optimum conditions and will thrive on it with great numbers of multiplications, and then not to forget in any room a sick person his virus and bacteria are carried in to the aircon system.

I am waiting to hear what the exhumination shows, and hope they state the truth.

May they rest in Peace.

[SurfRider]

Possibly Legionnaires' disease?

"the Legionellosis bacterium was finally identified and isolated, and found to be breeding in the cooling tower of the hotel's air conditioning system, which then spread it through the entire building."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionaires_Disease

Legionnaires' disease acquired its name in July 1976 when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. On January 18, 1977 the causative agent was identified as a previously unknown bacterium, subsequently named Legionella.

Outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease receive significant media attention. However, this disease usually occurs as single, isolated cases not associated with any recognized outbreak. When outbreaks do occur, they are usually in the summer and early autumn, though cases may occur at any time of year. The fatality rate of Legionnaires' disease has ranged from 5% to 30% during various outbreaks.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mounted an unprecedented investigation and by September, the focus had shifted from outside causes, such as a disease carrier, to the hotel environment itself. In January 1977, the Legionellosis bacterium was finally identified and isolated, and found to be breeding in the cooling tower of the hotel's air conditioning system, which then spread it through the entire building. This finding prompted new regulations worldwide for climate control systems.

Subsequent investigations, "revealed that the bacteria thrived in the Bellevue-Stratford hotel's cooling tower. From that water supply the hotel derived its air conditioning and the bacteria were actively pumped into the hotel. Since 1976, air conditioning changed, with federal agencies all over the world requiring more stringent cleaning and hygiene provisions for cooling towers and large scale air conditioning systems." ^[13]

[billp]

Authorities believe that food poisoning is the likely cause of the two deaths at Phi Phi islands over the weekend. The autopsy reports will not be ready for another two weeks.

Andaman Times

[humfurry]

Blog link removed

Edited May 7, 2009 by LivinginKata
Blog link removed

[wrecker]

Speculative post removed..

Edited May 7, 2009 by LivinginKata
Speculative post removed

[brahmburgers]

this seems to be a redundant thread - with the same exact topic being covered in depth in T.Visa's "Thailand News Clippings" section. I, among others, mentioned Legionnaires disease (in detail) days ago - in regard to the tragic news of recent deaths on Phi Phi Island. The most important aspect of this whole tragic scenario is to CLOSE THE GUEST HOUSE DOWN NOW! - before any regrettable things happen.

Suggest to investigators: do thorough health check on everyone who has stayed there and/or worked there in the past month. check Air.Con, check water supply, check local restaurants. This is serious stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) is sending a team to Phi Phi, as we speak. They send teams to darkest Africa whenever there's an Ebola outbreak, so it stands to reason they're seriously concerned whenever a mysterious lethal outbreak erupts - anywhere in the world.

[steffi]

Is it me or does this report not say where they were staying.

[LivinginKata]

this seems to be a redundant thread - with the same exact topic being covered in depth in T.Visa's "Thailand News Clippings" section.

Completely agree ...

go here for further discussion & information

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