Phuket emergency centre opens as mystery illness strikes 100+ people

[reader]

From the Thaiger

An emergency operations centre (EOC) has been established by the Public Health Ministry in response to over 100 people falling ill from an unidentified pathogen across three districts in Phuket. The pathogen has caused severe diarrhoea among those affected.

Public Health Permanent Secretary, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, stated that health authorities are investigating the cause of the outbreak, which was initially thought to be a virus. The EOC has been set up to manage the situation, working closely with provincial authorities throughout the investigation.

Dr. Opas emphasised that despite diarrhoea having a low death rate, it is crucial to enforce sanitation regulations to prevent it from becoming a public health concern. This comes after a surge of patients presenting with symptoms on Thursday night.

Health Inspector-General Dr. Kittisak Aksornwong reported that numerous individuals were admitted to hospitals in the Muang, Kathu, and Thalang districts. However, most of those seeking medical treatment experienced only mild symptoms, including stomach cramps, vomiting, and low-grade fever.

[PeterRS]

An emergency centre is opened for just 100 cases (or slightly more) of diarrhoea? How strange. With 12 million tourists annually, the island must have its fair share of western and other tourists not used to spicy Thai food which results in some form of stomach upset including diarrhoea. As this is still high season, presumably there are something like 700,00-800,000 or so tourists on the island. An emergency centre is opened for a tiny fraction of these numbers? 

Odd that the Thaiger article first states "severe diarrhoea". Yet the final paragraph mentions only "mild symptoms". Typical Thai reporting in my view. 

[reader]

You’re right, of course. They should obviously wait until there’s another hundred thousand or so cases.

Much better to hold off until cases get really bad. Wait, didn’t we try that with Covid?

[PeterRS]

7 hours ago, reader said:

Much better to hold off until cases get really bad. Wait, didn’t we try that with Covid?

But you continue to make assumptions! 100 is a tiny drop in the ocean compared to the number of tourists (if just limited to tourists). Even 1,000 is just a larger drop! And don't you recall that Thailand did well in the first 10 months or so of covid? Very few cases. It was only when it dropped its guard by not testing the Burmese workers at the main fish market near Samut Sakhon that there was the first main outbreak. With 2,000 Burmese illegal workers and porous borders, no doubt someone paid off someone else to ensure there was no drop off in the work force. 

Thereafter again Thailand did well until one hi-so youth decided to bribe his way into and back from Cambodia in order to satisfy his craving for gambling. He brought back the virus which spread quickly in the hi-so clubs and discos he frequented in the Thonglor area. 

In my view these were deliberate acts of omission by the authorities - and a result of corruption. I cannot see a tiny outbreak of diarrhoea and covid as having any similarity.

[reader]

Sounds like diarrhea of the mouth.