Covid-infected woman jumps from building

Covid-infected woman jumps from building

Cause believed to be five-day wait for bed

A 51-year-old woman, left waiting for a hospital bed for five days after testing positive for Covid-19, seriously injured herself after jumping from a second-floor window yesterday.

The woman, Sujittra Sae Heng, then had to wait again as she was taken to hospital by ambulance almost two hours after she jumped, neighbours said.

Police and medics from the Erawan rescue unit were called to attend to her at Soi Charoen Nakhon 46 in Bangkok's Klong San district where she lived in a townhouse.

Pol Maj Theerawat Kerdjongrak, of Samre station, said Ms Sujittra was found lying on the road in front of the building, crying and in pain. She had a broken left leg and head injuries.

Neighbours said due to the wo­man's Covid-19 diagnosis the medics donned protective gear before giving her first aid. She was then taken to a nearby hospital.

Phuwisit Phuwasawat, 54, secretary of the Wat Suttharam community, said Ms Sujittra was a vendor at the temple's market, and lived with three other family members.

She took a Covid-19 test at Mitrpracha Hospital on June 30 which returned positive the next day.

A hospital doctor told her to first self-isolate at home and to call the 1669 hotline for an ambulance to take her for coronavirus treatment.

However, she was told she would have to wait for a hospital bed, said Mr Phuwisit who was in charge of providing food and drinking water for Ms Sujittra and other residents quarantined in the community.

He suspected she became frustrated and stressed out by the long wait for a hospital bed.

Yesterday morning, while other members of her family were still sleeping, she opened a window on the second floor of her home and jumped from it, he said.

Last Friday, an elderly man fell to his death from a three-storey building where he lived after his daughter died from Covid-19.

In other Covid-related matters, Don Mueang International Airport's cargo warehouse will be turned into a field hospital for Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms.

Nitinai Sirismatthakarn, president of Airports of Thailand, said yesterday that the Transport Ministry has joined the Treasury Department, the Finance Ministry and Mongkutwattana Hospital to turn the cargo warehouse into a field hospital which is scheduled to open on July 12.

The warehouse has floor space of over 18,000 square metres and some 2,000 beds will be used in it, he said.

Mr Nitinai said the warehouse has not been used since 2006 and that it is currently being cleaned.

After cleaning, electricity and water systems will undergo testing and bed rails, mobile toilets and beds will be installed.

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