PHITSANULOK: The Phitsanulok Provincial Prison has sent 24 inmates who have been found to have a high level of thyroid hormone and a high heart rate to receive treatment at hospitals.
Piya Siriluck, chief of Phitsanulok Provincial Health Office, said his medical team from nine districts found 690 of about 3,000 inmates have a high level of thyroid hormone and low potassium while 24 of them have severe symptoms with up to 130-140 heart beats per minute and muscle weakness. Dr Piya said the inmates have been admitted to Somdej Phra Naresuan Hospital and Wang Thong Hospital.
An initial medical examination took place on Saturday after four prisoners died over the New Year holidays inside the prison, also prompting the Corrections Department to set up a panel to probe the deaths. Dr Piya said he divided the inmates into two groups according to their condition. One has a light illness and relatively fast heartbeat while the other comprises emergency cases, with an excessively fast pulse of 140 beats in a minute.
One of the four dead, he said, died of a high thyroid hormone level while the cause of the other cases has yet to be determined, with some reports suggesting prison food may have played a part. He assumed the high thyroid level might have come from food containing the hormone.
Pol Col Naras Savestanan, director-general of the department, said the inmates suffered from hyperthyroidism from contaminated food. Another two of the dead prisoners died from heart disease. Five of the admitted prisoners were found to have numb limbs, fatigue, and unusual hormone levels.
He asked the prison to check its hygiene and cooking equipment.