Thailand has most Ziko cases in region

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thailand has most Ziko cases in region

BANGKOK:-- Thailand is the worst-hit country in South-east Asia, with seven Zika cases uncovered between 2012 and 2014 in various provinces.

The Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia each have had one Zika-related case since 2010.

But World Health Organisation (WHO) officials say the disease is likely to have spread far more widely in South-east Asia than the number of cases suggests.

This is partly because detection of the Zika virus is often delayed, its symptoms being similar to those of other mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue and chikungunya.

Thailand's most recent case was discovered earlier this month after a Thai man was stopped at a fever screening station at Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport.

Full story: http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thailand-has-most-cases-in-region

-- Straits Times

[futsukayoi]

I am sure that most people catching Zika in Thailand would just assume dengue

[cumgranosalum]

I can imagine a situation where the average medical workers around Thailand are not diagnosing Zika - they already are diagnosing Dengue without a blood test so the chances of accurate reporting figures about Zika are going to be minimal.

couple this with the prevailing attitude of not wanting to upset the apple cart, maintaining harmony and protecting such things as the tourist industry, i

can see a rather belated or ineffective response.

[bendywire]

No problem, Thailand will have a cure next week. The world will be saved and happiness will be restored.

[rozand]

if you have 7 zika cases in 3 years you have nothing to talk about. Can hardly call that hard-hit. Completely insignificant. Would someone ever write about 7 influenza cases recorder in 3 years?

[cumgranosalum]

if you have 7 zika cases in 3 years you have nothing to talk about. Can hardly call that hard-hit. Completely insignificant. Would someone ever write about 7 influenza cases recorder in 3 years?

Firstly as this number is derived at a time when the fever was not considered particularly dangerous and no-one was actually looking for it. It is quite possibly not representative of the real situation and could even be the tip of an iceberg.

"World Health Organisation (WHO) officials say the disease is likely to have spread far more widely in South-east Asia than the number of cases suggests."

The next thing to consider is that zika in Brazil spiked dramatically in the space of one year from thousands to millions and there is no guarantee that this can't happen in

asia. All the factors are in place - a population with little or no immunity and the a plentiful supply of the vector.

Edited January 30, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[Suradit69]

I can imagine a situation where the average medical workers around Thailand are not diagnosing Zika - they already are diagnosing Dengue without a blood test so the chances of accurate reporting figures about Zika are going to be minimal.

couple this with the prevailing attitude of not wanting to upset the apple cart, maintaining harmony and protecting such things as the tourist industry, i

can see a rather belated or ineffective response.

" i can see a rather belated or ineffective response."

As usual, some people think all issues originate in or exist only in Thailand and are attributable to the myth of corruption, inadequacy and saving face unique to Thailand.

I suppose they could have some idiots using fever detection devices to screen incoming airline passengers as has been done in the west in the past for other diseases and which were meant to instill a false sense of security to reassure tourists.

Working out the extent to which Zika, alone or combined with other things, is to blame for any of this is tricky. Dengue and chikungunya—mosquito-borne viruses with similar symptoms—are common where Zika is making the rounds. According to Scott Weaver of the University of Texas, tests that spot Zika work only during its infectious phase, which lasts just a few days. After that, they are often useless if the patient has had dengue or been vaccinated against yellow fever. And only laboratories that can do sophisticated molecular tests are in the game in the first place. All of which means that most cases of Zika are missed, and many are misdiagnosed.

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21688849-newly-emerging-disease-threatening-americas-virus-chequers?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/Viruschequers

[SidJames]

Bloody hell:

In Brazil, for reasons yet unclear, it quickly flared into an epidemic after its arrival—by official estimates infecting as many as 1.5m people.

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21688849-newly-emerging-disease-threatening-americas-virus-chequers?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/Viruschequers

[bicyclist]

Zika freakout: the hoax and the covert op continue

https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2016/01/29/zika-freakout-the-hoax-and-the-covert-op-continue/

[cumgranosalum]

I can imagine a situation where the average medical workers around Thailand are not diagnosing Zika - they already are diagnosing Dengue without a blood test so the chances of accurate reporting figures about Zika are going to be minimal.

couple this with the prevailing attitude of not wanting to upset the apple cart, maintaining harmony and protecting such things as the tourist industry, i

can see a rather belated or ineffective response.

" i can see a rather belated or ineffective response."

As usual, some people think all issues originate in or exist only in Thailand and are attributable to the myth of corruption, inadequacy and saving face unique to Thailand.

I suppose they could have some idiots using fever detection devices to screen incoming airline passengers as has been done in the west in the past for other diseases and which were meant to instill a false sense of security to reassure tourists.

Working out the extent to which Zika, alone or combined with other things, is to blame for any of this is tricky. Dengue and chikungunya—mosquito-borne viruses with similar symptoms—are common where Zika is making the rounds. According to Scott Weaver of the University of Texas, tests that spot Zika work only during its infectious phase, which lasts just a few days. After that, they are often useless if the patient has had dengue or been vaccinated against yellow fever. And only laboratories that can do sophisticated molecular tests are in the game in the first place. All of which means that most cases of Zika are missed, and many are misdiagnosed.

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21688849-newly-emerging-disease-threatening-americas-virus-chequers?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/Viruschequers

"As usual, some people think all issues originate in or exist only in Thailand and are attributable to the myth of corruption, inadequacy and saving face unique to Thailand." - virtually every word of that sentence is incorrect!

The OP is about Thaiand and how they are handling it.....and I'd love to know how you consider corruption in Thailand to be a myth?

[pbeieio]

They just don't want to feel "left out"!!!