A Hungarian man at a Phuket Hospital with a weakness in his limbs following a traffic accident was operated on before his links with the resort’s Patong entertainment area were revealed. A positive Covid test and his subsequent death have led to hospital personnel being placed in quarantine. Now, a top doctor is calling for all patients to be forthcoming about their history and level of risk from the virus when dealing when visiting medical facilities.
A Hungarian man who was admitted to hospital in Phuket on Wednesday the 25th March died on Friday after testing positive last week for the Covid 19 virus and developing acute symptoms of the disease. Doctors only learned that he was a high-risk patient following a visit from a friend who lives in the Patong entertainment area of the holiday island.
The complex situation generated by the Covid 19 emergency was made clear by a Thai doctor on Monday when he revealed that a Hungarian man admitted to hospital following a traffic accident on March 25th last had taken out over 100 medical personnel from service when it became clear, at a later stage, that he was infected with the virus. The man died from the disease on Friday morning.
Details of the case were given to the media by Dr Chalermpong Sukhonthapol, the Director of Vachira Phuket Hospital. He urged the public including foreigners, to be aware of their Covid 19 risk status while seeking hospital care and to disclose to medical staff any connection with high-risk areas.
Meeting of officials in Phuket to review the response to the Covid 19 emergency heard details of the case
The story emerged following a meeting of top officials in Phuket reviewing the medical response to the emergency that has brought the kingdom to a standstill over the last few weeks.
The Hungarian national was admitted at first to Chalong Hospital following a road traffic accident on Wednesday, March 25th. He was then transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital for specialist treatment.
Patient complained of a weakness in his limbs and numbness following the traffic accident
Dr Chalermpong said that the patient could walk but was experiencing numbness and weakness in his limbs. The man was operated on at the hospital for a broken neck and a snapped spinal nerve.
Four days after his accident on Saturday, March 29th, the man received a visitor at the hospital. It was a friend of the European who lived in Soi Bangla in the heart of Phuket’s now closed entertainment area, Patong.
Visitor from Patong led to enquiries by hospital staff about the European man’s background
This led to hospital staff questioning the Hungarian man about his stay in Thailand. They discovered, first of all, that he had been to Malaysia and also that he had spent two weeks in Patong before his accident.
Hospital officials then deemed that this was enough to have a Covid 19 test requisitioned for the patient.
The Patong district is the main driver of the viral infection which has racked the tourist island. There are now 130 infections according to the Ministry of Public Health.
Tested positive for the virus and developed acute symptoms last week before his death on Friday
The Hungarian tested positive for the Covid 19 virus and last week began to show symptoms of the respiratory disease. He developed breathing difficulties and also had a high fever.
The man’s condition deteriorated last Thursday with a bloodstream infection and he passed away earlier on Friday morning.
‘The death of the Hungarian tourist is a shock because he did not report the Covid 19 infection risk in the first place. One hundred and twelve medical personnel who had done their best to save him were put at risk because of their contact with him,’ Dr Chalermpong disclosed on Monday.
104 medical staff placed in quarantine
104 of these medical workers were termed high risk and have been placed in quarantine for 14 days. So far, 94 tests have come back negative for the killer virus and 18 staff are awaiting their results.
‘I am asking people and tourists to be clear about their history. Please do not conceal anything, as in this case, which has taken out about 100 medical personnel,’ Dr Chalermpong urged.
Further reading:
‘Zero’ – nationwide curfew announced on TV by the PM as the government steps up virus fight
Elderly Hungarian arrested at Suvarnabhumi for a visa overstay offence found dead in a holding cell
