Third H1N1 death fuels fears about virus severity

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FLU OUTBREAK

Third H1N1 death fuels fears about virus severity

Published: 30/06/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

The Public Health Ministry has confirmed the country's third death from type A (H1N1) flu, fuelling fears about the severity of the virus.

A 21-year-old navy conscript was pronounced dead at about 8am yesterday at Queen Sirikit Hospital in Chon Buri's Sattahip district, only two days after the first two fatalities were announced.

Capt Noppadon Supakorn, commander of the Naval Education Department's recruit training centre, said the conscript developed a high fever on June 15 but refused to go to hospital and continued to take part in training.

The conscript's condition deteriorated and he was sent to hospital yesterday morning where he died later of a severe lung infection.

Capt Noppadon said about 500 of a total of 4,200 conscripts had developed flu-like symptoms and had been put under surveillance for seven days.

Permanent secretary for public health Prat Boonyawongvirote yesterday asked the Royal Thai Navy to monitor hygiene at the naval base carefully to ensure the virus did not spread quickly.

Health authorities have been looking into the causes of the conscript's death. Initial findings show obesity was one of the risk factors contributing to his death.

Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, medical expert at the Department of Medical Services, said the man weighed 105kg and was 170cm tall. A tough training programme and inadequate rest while suffering flu symptoms could have caused his condition to deteriorate.

Obesity has been found to be a major risk factor among people who contracted A (H1N1) flu, he said citing a pandemic study on flu cases in Mexico and the US.

Although young adults are at lower risk of contracting A (H1N1) flu than children aged under five, seniors over 65 years and patients suffering from chronic diseases, their flu symptoms tend to be more severe, judging from the three local fatalities, he said.

The latest death has raised fears about the severity of the new flu virus, but the health authority is insisting the fatality rate of A (H1N1) in Thailand is considered low. Dr Tawee said the mortality rate of A (H1N1) patients was two in a thousand - much lower than the US rate of four in a thousand.

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Writer: APIRADEE TREERUTKUARKUL

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Red Capitalist

Discussion 5 : 30/06/2009 at 12:46 PM5
I don't know where else in the world Fox ("I never saw worse doctors in the world like thai ones") has been, but I completely disagree.

The best doctors are, of course, those in our respective home countries...

But many Thai doctors are quite, if not very, capable. Over the past ten years or so, I have had several very good experiences, although when it comes to prescribing medication, I find many Thai doctors irresponsible.

Last year, I went to a provincial hospital with symptoms I described to a General Practitioner. He had no idea, but because I (after consultation with a dear friend back home, a layman like myself) did have a clue, I asked him to refer me to a neurologist.
Within two minutes, the neurologist made the right diagnosis. Surprising, because the most common forms of the disorder I have are estimated to affect only 1 in 15,000 to 20,000. No wonder the GP didn't recognize (and even know about) it.

Last month, I went home (that is: where I was born; I now call Thailand 'home') and visited my farang GP. Like his professional colleague here in Thailand, he had never heard about the disorder.
Thai Guy

Discussion 4 : 30/06/2009 at 10:34 AM4
@ Fox Discussion 2
Don't be so mean, we are... still a LEDC and only bangkok seems to be fully equiped with medical supplies and doctors. It is quite hard for people in other areas of Thailand to cure this desease.
Red Capitalist

Discussion 3 : 30/06/2009 at 09:31 AM3
"Although young adults are at lower risk of contracting A (H1N1) flu than children aged under five, seniors over 65 years and patients suffering from chronic diseases, their flu symptoms tend to be more severe, judging from the three local fatalities, he said." ("He" refers to Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, medical expert at the Department of Medical Services)

Not only is it impossible to draw a reliable statistical conclusion from such an extremely small sample size (three cases), it is also an art to come to this particular conclusion that, "judging from the three local fatalities" "young adults are at lower risk of contracting A (H1N1) flu ..." because these fatalities didn't include children aged under five, nor seniors over 65 years.
Fox

Discussion 2 : 30/06/2009 at 09:22 AM2
I never saw worse doctors in the world like thai ones. hope no foreigners will get sick in there.
Thai

Discussion 1 : 30/06/2009 at 06:19 AM1
I don't believe the conclusion of the doctor,The obesity is the high risk for H1N1 virus infection.
It is very unusual that H1N1 infected the young and healthy soldier and rapidly mortality.
The Thai public health have to take serious prevention guild line to protect the Thai people.
Please, don't supprees the infromation of H1N1 as the previous suggestion.
I still have faith in the Thai medical community,I hope the Thai physicians will do the right thing in spite of greedy,corruption,selfishness and egoism.

MAY GOD BLESS ALL THAI DOCTORS

Third H1N1 death fuels fears about virus severity