Thailand records fourth swine-flu death

[Gert van der Hoek]

Thailand records fourth swine-flu death


Posted : Wed, 01 Jul 2009

Bangkok - Thailand on Wednesday notched up its fourth H1N1 death, a 47-year-old man who was a heavy smoker and drinker, media reports said.

Rajvethee Hospital director Dr Warunee Jinarat said the man succumbed to heart and kidney failure at the private hospital.

"The man was heavy drinker and smoker," Warunee told The Nation online news service. He was Thailand's fourth swine-flu victim.

A Thai navy cadet died of H1N1-related symptoms Monday. A 40-year-old woman died on June 22 and a 42-year-old man died Saturday of H1N1-related complications.

The Public Health Ministry on Wednesday announced 59 new swine flu cases in Thailand, bringing the total in the kingdom to 1,473.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275594,thailand-records-fourth-swine-flu-death.html

 

[Evelyn]

Re: Thailand records fourth swine-flu death

Bangkok - Thailand on Wednesday notched up its fourth H1N1 death, a 47-year-old man who was a heavy smoker and drinker, media reports said.

Rajvethee Hospital director Dr Warunee Jinarat said the man succumbed to heart and kidney failure at the private hospital.

"The man was heavy drinker and smoker," Warunee told The Nation online news service. He was Thailand's fourth swine-flu victim.http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/275594,thailand-records-fourth-swine-flu-death.html

This is a new one: not even talking about "underlying conditions," but actually blaming the patient's behavior.

Yes, it's relevant. Yes, all information on the severe and fatal cases is necessary, and we're getting too little. But the way this was said, assuming it wasn't taken out of context, frustrates the heck out of me.