The first Thai found to be infected with the coronavirus after a visit to Wuhan, a 73-year-old woman, says she did not go to any fresh markets while holidaying in the Chinese city with other members of her family.
Grandma Jaimuay Sae Ung, of Nakhon Pathom, spoke her mind after recovering from the novel coronavirus, during a media conference at Nakhon Pathom Hospital on Tuesday.
The 73-year-old said she could not remember what kind of meat she ate while holidaying in Wuhan, when asked if she had eaten any wild game. But she insisted they ate only clean food at restaurants, not street food.
During the trip, she saw people coughing as they normally would. They took buses and trains and she never gave a thought to being infected with a virus.
“I was shocked (to learn I was infected) because I went there in a group of many people. Why was I infected with it? I went there on December 25 and returned to Thailand around dawn on January 3.
"I felt exhausted and initially thought it was probably caused by my walking a lot and visiting many places. I assumed I might have a heart disease. I got dizzy and lost my appetite,’’ the elderly woman said.
She sought treatment at Nakhon Pathom Hospital after returning from Wuhan. Health officials confirmed she was infected with the novel coronavirus.
Mrs Jaimuay said she was put in a glassed-in room at the hospital. She was not afraid of anything at the time. She saw doctors entering the room to treat her wearing clothes that left only their eyes visible.
Initially, she was not aware what she was suffering from. Later, she was told she was infected with the virus and this caused her quite some stress.
While staying at the hospital, she could not see her children or other relatives, and wanted nothing more than to return home. Doctors told her she must stay there for treatment. She suffered pain while breathing.
After receiving treatment for 3 days her health gradually improved, she said.
While holidaying in China, there was no warning about the outbreak of the virus. She learned during a phone call from her son in Thailand that people in China were being infected and the disease had claimed the lives of people, Mrs Jaimuay said.
The medical team providing her treatment said doctors treated her symptoms. Anti-viral medication had not been used.
The woman's illness was rated moderate to very severe, as she had heart disease and a lung infection. Doctors had to ensure the patient was free of the coronavirus before allowing her to return home.
After receiving treatment for nine days, Mrs Jaimuay was discharged. There was no human-to-human transmission among the family members who went to Wuhan with her, the team members said.
The number of infections detected in Thailand stands at 25 after six more people - four Thais and two Chinese tourists - were found to be infected on Tuesday, according to Thai health officials.
Nine of the patients had been treated, cleared of infection and discharged, leaving 16 in local hospitals, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday.
