British tourist fighting for life in Thailand feared to be first western victim of mystery Chinese coronavirus

[Salerno]

We have a guy being tested for it in Brisbane now.

 

[orchidfan]

3 hours ago, Dcheech said:

I flew in during the height of the SARS scare and Thailand was screening with infrared cameras. As that was at Don Muang, I can't recall where they placed them, but yes we had to walk by them.  Really cheap airfares June 03, though. Not many passengers either, great flight.

Lived in Hong Kong all during (and after) SARS.. This virus is nothing.......yet.

HK airport still screens pax temperature on arrival.

[SoonOh]

Get well soon

Adequate travel medical insurance is a must. 

 

 

[terryofcrete]

18 hours ago, TheDark said:

 

Special seaplane from Phi-Phi to neighbouring island of Phuket.  Ok..

 

yeah ... very ok indeed .. of course you would refuse on the grounds that is is too much bother .. I mean I’m only dying... some tulip !  

[Max69xl]

18 hours ago, TheDark said:

Not about the money, but more of practicality. The story also said "He had to be ferried by specialised seaplane because his damaged lungs could not cope with high altitude travel.", which indicates that there are flights between these two islands.

 

I will believe this story only after it's been reported in more reliable news sources. 

 

Also, there was no mention, if the person has been to Wuhan region, which is the most important information in this case. 

Authorities worldwide are afraid the coronavirus are spread from person to person,meaning chinese tourists from the Wuhan region can be the source. 

[flyingtlger]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

 

But it is feared the Chinese authorities are hiding the true scale of the problem.

Typical Chinese.  
Chinese cannot be trusted with anything, PERIOD.

 

[Roy Baht]

1 hour ago, Dcheech said:

Unfortunately that is not exactly true. As per this article regarding an earlier incident. 

 

--Thailand tourist's lung tissue 'gone' after mysterious death 
Jill St Onge, one of 2 tourists who died of unknown causes, pathologist says her "lungs were 100 percent congested"  --

 

Given the past history of these islands, definitely a possibility, as is coronavirus from China.

So lung congestion is a symptom of phosphine poisoning? Or just of whatever mysterious ailment was killing tourists on Phi Phi a few years back?

[Charlescharliechilds]

18 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Get well soon lad, I was told the other day in China they are screening people at the airport,

I think we’ve all had it in the UK, ‘‘twas a rough ole time at Christmas, I thought my end had come but what didn’t kill me, made me stronger. I thank the Lord of paracetamol ????

[Max69xl]

15 minutes ago, SoonOh said:

Get well soon

Adequate travel medical insurance is a must. 

 

 

In this case, I don't think the hospital and thai authorities are concerned about an insurance. They are afraid of a possible global pandemic. 

[sirwilly]

I have just been In touch with a friend in Beijing and he informs me there are 217 cases in China and you cannot travel to  Wuhan and if you travel from Wuhan you need to get health clearance. There are 2 cases in Beijing.

[webfact]

UPDATE:

 

British man seriously ill with flu like virus in Thailand does not have Chinese Coronavirus

 

A British man who is fighting for his life in hospital after being struck down with flu-like symptoms, has not contracted the Chinese Coronavirus, it has been confirmed.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1144324-british-man-seriously-ill-with-flu-like-virus-in-thailand-does-not-have-chinese-coronavirus/

[Saltire]

Here we go again.

 

I accepted a job in Wuhan early 2003, and while I was waiting to leave, SARS was reported, and played down big time. My flight was booked by my employer in advance and I would have been flying in right at the peak of the news stories of denials that it was anything to worry about. Then they finally admitted there was a problem and I was advised my flight had been re-booked a month later.

 

My flight to Beijing was the quietest ever. Beijing airport was deserted, and a police cordon outside the airport was only allowing staff and passengers inside. My onward ticket to Wuhan was with a girl from the Beijing office, but they wouldn't let her in to give me my ticket. She literally jumped the barrier and ran in - she could see me waiting inside the door as arranged, gave me my ticket and ran back out. She was quized I found out later but not apprehended.

 

At every step of the journey my temperature was taken by various methods and eventualy took up mypost in Wuhan, back then a city of 10 million or so, probably a lot more now. Nobody back home had ever heard of it until SARS.

 

While I was there I became aware that it was classified in the top 10 polluted cities in China. I didnt see the sun or stars for 2 years. It was a major steel hub for China and had many giant works with 100k+ Employees ( a match for the Wuhan university with its 100k students). People all around me for the time I was there, were suffering from coughs and similar symptoms but carried on working regardless. 

 

I have fond memories of my time there but I ruled out long-term stay just due to potential health risks. Went back for a visit in 2014 and it had visibly improved, but still not great air quality.

 

I reckon we have been lucky so far with these epidemics, there are several Netflix documentaries outlining the potential scenarios if our luck runs out, and a true pandemic hits. Frightening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[moto77]

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

An impressive response from the medical services. 
 

Its good to see this response rather than ‘no insurance no hospital’ type approach... 

 

Even in unfortunate circumstances it’s good to see Thailand in a positive light in the news for a change. 

 

Well... Their other option was not to hospitalize him and leave him to spread the disease around Thailand. 

[bobinkolat]

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

An impressive response from the medical services. 
 

Its good to see this response rather than ‘no insurance no hospital’ type approach... 

 

Even in unfortunate circumstances it’s good to see Thailand in a positive light in the news for a change. 

 

Well spoken Richard 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

13 hours ago, DrTuner said:

All tourist spots with Chinese are now possible ground zeros for infection. Avoid if possible. 

 

So, you mean all of Thailand.... and the world.... considering that Chinese New Year traveling season is here?

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, Jaggg88 said:

More likely has he been in contact with other tourists here who are from that region.

 

Ya, now as of yesterday, the Chinese are reporting cases in various cities around their own country, in addition to the exported foreign ones, and that human to human transmission can occur, though not clear how easily... 

 

So the cat seems to be out of the bag at this point. And the outcome is gonna depend on just how easily this thing is spread by human to human contact.

 

[wavodavo]

Just heard on the radio news that it is now confirmed that the virus can be transmitted human to human.At Australian airports all passengers on flights from china are being screened but Doctors admit that is not a foolproof method of stopping it from coming in.This could become very serious.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, saengd said:

Since Koh Phi Phi doesn't have an airport the only way to fly somebody to the mainland is by seaplane!

 

Helicopter rescue air ambulance???

[Mavideol]

17 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Ya, I wasn't arguing the no HtoH part is conclusively known or confirmed... just that that remains WHO's current assessment. Time will tell...

 

 

 

 

they were afraid to tell the truth..... today it's all over the news (even the Chinese state agency stated it and that's as big as Iran admitting to shutting down the plane) that human to human transmission is the danger..... but WHO will keep the "no travel restrictions" up

[davemos]

2 hours ago, heybuz said:

The Chinese government this morning have confirmed that it can be transmitted human to human (statement by the Chinese president)

4 confirmed deaths and estimates of thousands infected not hundreds as claimed .Welcome Chinese tourists !

[Tounge Thaied]

One word... Karma.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

UPDATE:

 

British man seriously ill with flu like virus in Thailand does not have Chinese Coronavirus

 

A British man who is fighting for his life in hospital after being struck down with flu-like symptoms, has not contracted the Chinese Coronavirus, it has been confirmed.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1144324-british-man-seriously-ill-with-flu-like-virus-in-thailand-does-not-have-chinese-coronavirus/

 

Glad to hear that!  Hopefully, though, the guy can still make a full recovery!

 

[Dcheech]

Interesting ... 

 

Quote

But one week after flying out on December 19 he had to check into hospital on Koh Phi Phi and medics dashed him to Phuket as his condition rapidly deteriorated.

So he has had this for about one month. But when we look at the timeline

 

 

DEC 31, 2019: ALARM RAISED

JAN 13-16: SPREADS BEYOND CHINA
JAN 20: HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION CONFIRMED.

 

This makes the British man the first international case. Wow, Surprising we have not heard more about it.   I wonder why not. Someone should notify the WHO and get things moving. Maybe some Thaivisa posters can step forward and get the ball rolling.

 

 

 

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, Dcheech said:

This makes the British man the first international case. Wow, Surprising we have not heard more about it.   I wonder why not. Someone should notify the WHO and get things moving.

Another triumph for Brexit perhaps?

[Mavideol]

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Ya, now as of yesterday, the Chinese are reporting cases in various cities around their own country, in addition to the exported foreign ones, and that human to human transmission can occur, though not clear how easily... 

 

So the cat seems to be out of the bag at this point. And the outcome is gonna depend on just how easily this thing is spread by human to human contact.

 

but state news claimed they were checking all Wuhan airports and bus & train stations, they forgot to say that Wuhan is the capital of a big province a called Hubei, thus other cities in same province may have the problem but nobody is checking their train/bus stations. A city located more than 1,000 kms away from Wuhan, Guangzhou has detected 19 cases all of them from Hubei province, how the people from Wuhan got there? by driving thus the Chinese tracking is not working

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

8 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

but WHO will keep the "no travel restrictions" up

 

I'm trying to remember... But I think the WHO had the same position all throughout the SARS and MERS episodes...

 

I'm pretty sure I read on the WHO website yest. that they feel airport screening is not very effective. Which I understand, as it won't catch folks who aren't showing symptoms yet.... But it sure seems like something that EVERYONE ought to be doing at this point.

 

[Tchooptip]

18 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

Well, this is reported by 'The Sun' no less who clearly haven't done their homework. High altitude travel is not possible from an island with no airport!

 

But low altitude would have possible with an helicopter, much faster too!

Sorry I forgot it happened in LOS.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

8 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

This makes the British man the first international case.

 

There's another thread this morning indicating doctors have found the British guy does NOT have the Chinese virus.

 

[Mavideol]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I'm trying to remember... But I think the WHO had the same position all throughout the SARS and MERS episodes...

 

I'm pretty sure I read on the WHO website yest. that they feel airport screening is not very effective. Which I understand, as it won't catch folks who aren't showing symptoms yet.... But it sure seems like something that EVERYONE ought to be doing at this point.

 

the faster the better because with human to human transmission time is of essence and risks increased by 100% it appears it will take 5 to 10 days for the incubation/symptoms to show, imagine the quantity of Chinese traveling,  for their new year period, all overt the world, drastic solution close China doors until solution is found. I was there during the SARS epidemic and the Chinese did the same as they are doing now, hide the facts until it was spread out and out of control

[NanLaew]

19 hours ago, TheDark said:

Not about the money, but more of practicality. The story also said "He had to be ferried by specialised seaplane because his damaged lungs could not cope with high altitude travel.", which indicates that there are flights between these two islands.

Indicates nothing of the sort. He was transported to the 'mainland' under a one-off, supervised medical evacuation provision.

 

19 hours ago, TheDark said:

I will believe this story only after it's been reported in more reliable news sources. 

It's perfectly acceptable to boast your Thai-scepticism here on TV. You are at home in that regard.

 

19 hours ago, TheDark said:

Also, there was no mention, if the person has been to Wuhan region, which is the most important information in this case.

BY the same token, there was no mention if the person had ever been in the proximity of someone who had been to Wuhan region. Like a Chinese person maybe?

 

18 hours ago, Moonlover said:

20 hours ago, webfact said:

He had to be ferried by specialised seaplane because his damaged lungs could not cope with high altitude travel.

Well, this is reported by 'The Sun' no less who clearly haven't done their homework. High altitude travel is not possible from an island with no airport!

What part or primary function of a "specialised seaplane" do you not understand?