Samut Sakhon Governor in a ‘critical’ condition after developing a lung infection from Covid-19 virus

January 21, 2021 at 8:56 pm
by News Desk
in Living, More News from Thailand, Personal, Thai World, Thailand
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The 58-year-old governor has been on a ventilator for over a month and was diagnosed with Covid-19 on December 28th at Siriraj Hospital where he is being treated. His condition is now being monitored on an hourly basis.

Doctors at the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University are giving 72 hours for an antibacterial drug cocktail to work on the stricken Governor of Samut Sakhon who has been cleared of Covid-19 but has been left with a severe lung infection from the damage caused by the disease after his condition worsened in recent days.

samut-sakhon-governor-critical-condition-lung-infection-covid-19 — The media were briefed on Wednesday by Dr Prasit Watanapa of the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University (right) on the condition of Samut Sakhon governor Verasak Vichitsangsri (left) who has developed a serious lung infection from the Covid-19 virus even though he is cleared of the disease. The governor is in a critical condition and is being monitored on an hourly basis.

The Governor of Samut Sakhon province is reported by doctors to be in a critical condition after it was revealed he has developed a serious lung infection which contains bacteria resistant to treatment.

58-year-old Verasak Vichitsangsri was diagnosed with the Covid-19 on the 28th of December after the virus ravaged Samut Sakhon when Thailand’s most severe outbreak of the disease broke out in the seaside province west of Bangkok among migrant workers from Myanmar in mid-December.

Admitted to hospital with a sore throat and breathing problems in December before the Covid-19 diagnosis

Governor Verasak was initially admitted to Siriraj Hospital with a serious condition including a sore throat and inflammation of the lungs causing breathing problems. It is also understood that he has an underlying history of cerebrovascular disease which has complicated his treatment.

Cerebrovascular disease encompasses a range of conditions affecting the brain and blood cells flowing it, all of which can lead to damage either through blockages or a haemorrhage.

Virus infection left Governor Verasak with lung tissue damage and severe bacterial infection

The governor has reportedly already been cleared of the Covid-19 virus but it is understood that the disease has caused damage to his lung tissue which has led to the current bacterial infection.

The virus-induced bacterial infection has caused some brain damage leaving the middle-aged governor in what is now reported to be a critical condition.

Condition being monitored on an hourly basis

On Wednesday, the press was briefed by Dr Prasit Watanapa of the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.

He explained that the condition of Governor Verasak was now being monitored on an hourly basis by concerned medical staff at the hospital.

‘All we have to do is administer antibiotics and remove mucus as much as possible to reduce infection in the body. As for the work of the brain, there has been an effect because the governor is older and has an underlying cerebrovascular disease. The medical team are doing their best,’ he explained.

New antibacterial drug cocktail

In the course of the governor’s treatment for Covid-19, he was treated with the antiviral drug Favipiravir and has been on a ventilator for over a month.

Doctors are now reported to have administered a strong cocktail of antibacterial drugs to fight off the virulent infection.

Dr Prasit concluded that the medical team treating the governor are giving this treatment 72 hours before reappraising the situation.