Thailand is unlikely to see Ebola victims, forum told

[Lite Beer]

Thailand is unlikely to see Ebola victims, forum told
Cattleya Chan,
Kathryn Huang
The Nation 

 

BANGKOK: -- Thai hospitals ready and able to tackle cases if they do show up, expert says

The public should not panic over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa due to unsubstantiated social media reports, as there is little chance the deadly virus will make its way to Thailand - and even if it did, health organisations are well prepared to handle it, a seminar in Bangkok was told yesterday.

The virus is not airborne and can only be transmitted by direct contact, senior doctors said at "How to Handle the Ebola Virus When It Reaches Thailand".

"The Ebola virus's transmission is similar to that of HIV/Aids, which transmits only when there is a contact between organs and blood," said Dr Yong Poovorawan of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine.

He emphasised that it would be quite difficult for the disease to spread in Thailand.

He said there had been 20 Ebola outbreaks over the past four decades, but most were in West Africa.

Influenza spread quicker than Ebola due to the former being an airborne virus.

People could also contract Ebola through direct contact with a sufferer's blood or urine, he said.

With an Ebola mortality rate of 60 to 90 per cent, Yong assured the public that all hospitals would be able to control an outbreak.

"All Thai hospitals have enough facilities and technology to contain the outbreak. Many major hospitals in Thailand have sophisticated facilities to handle the virus," he said.

While rural hospitals did not have this technology, staff had received training on controlling the virus using the model for containing influenza.

The Ebola virus had the lowest basic reproduction number - about 1.34 to 1.83, meaning it could be spread to only one or two people at a time. For malaria, the figure is five to 100.

Speaking at the same session, Dr Roongroje Thanawongnuwech, dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Chulalongkorn University, said 699 bats and 50 monkeys were tested for Ebola and all the results came back negative.

Dr Narin Hiransuthikul, of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine, said there was no specified vaccine for the virus and the only way a doctor could help an Ebola patient was to give them medication to relieve the symptoms so the immune system could better fight the disease.

The maximum chance of survival is 40 per cent, he said, adding that small hygiene precautions such as washing hands are ways to prevent someone contracting the virus.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-is-unlikely-to-see-Ebola-victims-forum-to-30240051.html

 

[thenation]2014-08-02[/thenation]

[NongKhaiKid]

Have they not bothered to listen to the WHO's most recent comments ?

 

Oh i forgot TIT so it's all good here,  always.

[Lite Beer]

Public health ministry: Sick man in Chanthaburi not Ebola patient

BANGKOK, 1 August 2014 (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed the 39-year-old Thai man who just traveled back from Mozambique is not sick of Ebola but a dengue fever, following the online messages saying there is an Ebola patient in Thailand.

Director-General of the Disease Control Department MD Sophon Mekthon said the man, who was now in Chanthaburi province, was not infected with Ebola virus since Mozambique was not one of the affected areas. The patient fell ill from dengue fever and was being treated at a hospital, the official confirmed.

The director-general called on people, especially medical personnel, to be careful when forwarding online messages which could cause panic.

 

[nnt]2014-08-02[/nnt]

[BSJ]

I think the health department officials should spend some time watching a real world situation concerning extremely dangerous disease.   'The Andromeda Strain' and "Contagion" movies would do that from the comfort of a movie theatre.    

[Payboy]

The public should not panic over the Ebola outbreak in West Africa due to unsubstantiated social media reports

Let's hope this news doesn't go viral.

[WhizBang]

Thailand is unlikely to see Ebola victims, forum told

 

Ok, now I am worried.  Doubly so, when you read what WHO had to say in this mornings news.  Thailand, head stuck firmly in (insert oriface of your choice here) the sand, as usual.

Edited August 2, 2014 by WhizBang

[Valentine]

These are our health leaders! There are many West Africans moving in & out of Thailand, just check out some of the drug dealers. If Ebola spreads to Nigeria with  its huge population then the whole world needs to be wary.

[Ricardo]

Thailand is unlikely to see Ebola victims, forum told

 

The phrase "famous last words" springs to mind !

[Emster23]

Reason given is tourism is down so much no one coming. Reminds me of Chamberlain "Peace in our time".

[shirtless]

It amazes me how they can come to this conclusion, with all the Africans that come to Thailand , When a government tells you not to worry start worrying.

[soalbundy]

sounds like an announcement from TAT.

[klauskunkel]

 

The virus is not airborne and can only be transmitted by direct contact, senior doctors said at "How to Handle the Ebola Virus When It Reaches Thailand".

"The Ebola virus's transmission is similar to that of HIV/Aids, which transmits only when there is a contact between organs and blood," said Dr Yong Poovorawan of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine.

He emphasised that it would be quite difficult for the disease to spread in Thailand.
 

First, I am glad that they had a meeting. That's a good thing. Naming the meeting "How to handle Ebola when it reaches Thailand" may be a bit alarming, but I can live with that.

Now, about the bit on transmission: "the virus transmits only when there is a contact between organs and blood", I'm by no means a medical expert like Dr. Yong Poovorawan, but I'm pretty sure that there is contact between organs and blood, at least with mine...

Lastly, about the difficulty to spread in Thailand - is it because of Thainess?

Edited August 2, 2014 by klauskunkel

[NongKhaiKid]

Trying to re-assure the public is one thing but ' unlikely ' comments aren't helpful but I would suggest the Thai public are not too well up on this story.

 

This ' unlikely ' idea isn't confined to LoS as i have seen on the Internet that a scientist has used the same word about Britain despite that country having massive air passenger traffic  and must include those from infected areas who may not be travelling direct from such areas.

 

The WHO is talking about the first case of the disease being carried airborne so what about aircraft with a full compliment of passengers all breathing the same air in a confined space ?

 

I hope authorities everywhere may say the appropriate,  calming words for public consumption but are taking urgent and extensive measures to monitor arrivals etc and be ready to react in an aggressive,  positive manner not the usual half arsed ' for show ' routine.

[arjunadawn]

I didn't really like this article. To emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand is irresponsible. Should it the appear no other, vitally important, information will then have credibility. Touch and fluids are the medium by which non airborne transmission occurs. Yet most of how we thought Ebola behaved has changed recently. I am concerned that air does in fact also act as medium. I find it incredulous that a disease with such a mortality rate is no problem for the majority of hospitals in Thailand. Perhaps Thai people's tradition of wai in greeting lessens transmission, but...

[Thai at Heart]

Public health ministry: Sick man in Chanthaburi not Ebola patient

BANGKOK, 1 August 2014 (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed the 39-year-old Thai man who just traveled back from Mozambique is not sick of Ebola but a dengue fever, following the online messages saying there is an Ebola patient in Thailand.

Director-General of the Disease Control Department MD Sophon Mekthon said the man, who was now in Chanthaburi province, was not infected with Ebola virus since Mozambique was not one of the affected areas. The patient fell ill from dengue fever and was being treated at a hospital, the official confirmed.

The director-general called on people, especially medical personnel, to be careful when forwarding online messages which could cause panic.
 
[nnt]2014-08-02[/nnt]

I bet just a few public health bosses got that little sicky feeling for a moment.

They could control this ? No way

[useronthenet]

Here is the link from WHO about the virus and it's transmission :-

 

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

 

WHO States that this virus has a mortality rate of up to 90% not 60 to 90 as your forum has mentioned as it's intentionally misleading the public.

 

In terms of West Africans, most reside in Bangkok, particularly Soi 3 which comes to mind. 

 

Thailand must not ignore the facts, as the repercussions would be enormous if they got it wrong. 

[Tokay]

Have they not bothered to listen to the WHO's most recent comments ?

 

Oh i forgot TIT so it's all good here,  always.

 

The WHO is not their father.

 

Ebola will be different in Thailand. For starters, the junta has already said they will enforce max happiness upon all of those who catch it.

[Tokay]

BTW... on Thai TV they are saying something totally different. Not once have I heard them say not to worry. They are in full blown you should be worrying mode.

 

I think what gets put out in English is massively lost in translation. Either that or tailored for Thai Visa so everyone can chat up a storm over it. 

[monk213]

The fact that it is not transmitted through the air is great but there is still the fact that Ebola has a 3 week incubation period, so people could have it and be contagious without knowing for such a length of time. An amount of time easy enough to travel to Thailand and back again whilst brushing against people, touching objects at markets and stores etc, downplaying this will only make it more dangerous.

[darrendsd]

I didn't really like this article. To emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand is irresponsible. Should it the appear no other, vitally important, information will then have credibility. Touch and fluids are the medium by which non airborne transmission occurs. Yet most of how we thought Ebola behaved has changed recently. I am concerned that air does in fact also act as medium. I find it incredulous that a disease with such a mortality rate is no problem for the majority of hospitals in Thailand. Perhaps Thai people's tradition of wai in greeting lessens transmission, but...

 

 

But they don't "emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand" do they? They state it is unlikely but if it does they are preparing for it.

 

Not a personal attack but typical of some TV posters, don't understand what has actually been said but decide to knock it anyway. 

[arjunadawn]

I didn't really like this article. To emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand is irresponsible. Should it the appear no other, vitally important, information will then have credibility. Touch and fluids are the medium by which non airborne transmission occurs. Yet most of how we thought Ebola behaved has changed recently. I am concerned that air does in fact also act as medium. I find it incredulous that a disease with such a mortality rate is no problem for the majority of hospitals in Thailand. Perhaps Thai people's tradition of wai in greeting lessens transmission, but...

 
 
But they don't "emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand" do they? They state it is unlikely but if it does they are preparing for it.
 
Not a personal attack but typical of some TV posters, don't understand what has actually been said but decide to knock it anyway. 

No. The article does not empathetically state, as I'd suggested. I went back and re read. It's pretty clear. I allowed my concerns that this might not be taken seriously to cloud the obvious message. I always prefer to have my errors checked; it lessens the likelihood of becoming a permanent dumbass. Thank you.

[belg]

small hygiene precautions such as washing hands

 

oh no, better not eat in ANY restaurant in this country, as washing hands is known as good as 'fair competition' in this country

 

 

thai hospitals are ready, off course... if you got ebole they will say :  Sir, madam, you only have about a week to live, after that, your problem is over

 

 

Edited August 2, 2014 by belg

[quandow]

If Thailand keeps going the way they're going, they're unlikely to see ANYBODY!

[scotbeve]

There have been several articles mentioning the spread of the diease if it "has a water droplet as a medium"... Is there fog anywhere?

[monk213]

There have been several articles mentioning the spread of the diease if it "has a water droplet as a medium"... Is there fog anywhere?

 

There was a study done by a scientist back in 2012 where animals in separate cages were at a distance and one cage was contaminated with Ebola, he found that it was transferable without them touching, it isn't properly airborne but it does have something to do with water droplets from what I can gather, and we all know the air around us is full of water droplets

[monk213]

 

There have been several articles mentioning the spread of the diease if it "has a water droplet as a medium"... Is there fog anywhere?

 

There was a study done by a scientist back in 2012 where animals in separate cages were at a distance and one cage was contaminated with Ebola, he found that it was transferable without them touching, it isn't properly airborne but it does have something to do with water droplets from what I can gather, and we all know the air around us is full of water droplets

 

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-20341423

[AGareth2]

amulets?

[ldnguy]

I didn't really like this article. To emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand is irresponsible. Should it the appear no other, vitally important, information will then have credibility. Touch and fluids are the medium by which non airborne transmission occurs. Yet most of how we thought Ebola behaved has changed recently. I am concerned that air does in fact also act as medium. I find it incredulous that a disease with such a mortality rate is no problem for the majority of hospitals in Thailand. Perhaps Thai people's tradition of wai in greeting lessens transmission, but...

You have mis-read the article. It didn't "emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand". It said it was unlikely, and that is correct. 

[Thai at Heart]

I didn't really like this article. To emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand is irresponsible. Should it the appear no other, vitally important, information will then have credibility. Touch and fluids are the medium by which non airborne transmission occurs. Yet most of how we thought Ebola behaved has changed recently. I am concerned that air does in fact also act as medium. I find it incredulous that a disease with such a mortality rate is no problem for the majority of hospitals in Thailand. Perhaps Thai people's tradition of wai in greeting lessens transmission, but...

You have mis-read the article. It didn't "emphatically state Ebola will not come to Thailand". It said it was unlikely, and that is correct. 

What it doesn't say is categorically why its so unlikely.

Why is it anymore unlikely than any other place in the world? It is only less likely because there aren't many African visitors to Thailand.

But if a plane with someone infected travels to bangkok the odds that a patient gets infected is exactly the same as any other flight.

[ldnguy]

Here is the link from WHO about the virus and it's transmission :-

 

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

 

WHO States that this virus has a mortality rate of up to 90% not 60 to 90 as your forum has mentioned as it's intentionally misleading the public.

 

In terms of West Africans, most reside in Bangkok, particularly Soi 3 which comes to mind. 

 

Thailand must not ignore the facts, as the repercussions would be enormous if they got it wrong. 

Most West Africans reside in West Africa, not Bangkok. 

 

Do you know what "up to 90%" means? It seems not.

 

You seem very confused about simple facts. Maybe English isn't your main language.