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Dead German tourist tests positive for swine flu - Update
Posted : Tue, 19 May 2009 07:41:46 GMT
Author : DPA
Category : Health
Bangkok - A 59-year-old German tourist who died of flu-like symptoms at a Thai beach resort was initially tested positive for H1N1 at a lab in Bangkok, but authorities are awaiting further tests before confirming the country's possible first swine-flu fatality. Police Lieutenant General Somyot Deemak, head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital, said their lab had detected H1N1 in the woman's body fluids.
He said further tests will be conducted at the Public Health Ministry, with an official announcement of the results expected soon.
The German woman arrived in Thailand, on May 12, showing no flu symptoms, and drove to Hua Hin resort, 130 kilometres south-west of Bangkok, with her husband and their child, Health Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary Paichit Walachit said.
On Saturday, she was admitted to Hua Hin Hospital, suffering from a pneumonia and fever. She died Monday night, Paichit said.
Her body was sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok for autopsy to determine if she was infected with H1N1.
Thailand has reported two confirmed cases of H1N1, both Thai nationals who had recently visited Mexico. Both fully recovered after receiving anti-influenza drugs.
There are eight other people still in quarantine at Thai hospitals under observation for suspected swine flu.
Thailand has imposed a host of preventative measures against the spread of H1N1, including the use of heat-seeking devices at the country's main international airports to detect arrivals suffering from fever.
The country has a stockpile of 1.32 million tablets of oseltamivir and the Health Ministry set aside a special budget to buy enough raw materials to produce locally another 2 million tablets.
My note:
There were two other mysterious death in Thailand (500 miles south of were the german woman died), the two woman 27 and 22 lived at the same hotel (they were unrelated), in the weekend may 2nd. Both young woman died withing 24 hours after falling ill, they couldn?t breath and they were vomiting heavily (one boyfrined said his finace turned blue and died on the way to hospital). Both womas boyfriends got sick too, but mildly and have both recovered.
Health authoritis say they belive they were possibly poisened (cyanide).
There is a lot of contradicting info on thise two cases on the net, and as far as I know there is still no conclution on cause of death.
However I wonder if they also died from H1N1? they at least should be tested IMO.
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