PHUKET: Officials issued a list of health guidelines yesterday (June 8) after hospitals across the island were inundated with patients over the past few days laid low with gastrointestinal infections.
The number of people suffering from stomach complaints, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea has risen sharply this week, with officials stating an average of 100 people a day are seeking medical assistance from hospitals.
The condition, officially known as norovirus, is the most common cause of gastroenteritis and especially prevalent during the colder, rainy season, which Phuket is now in. The colder air makes for ideal temperatures for pathogens to grow, with undercooked foods and unclean water and ice liable to transmit the disease to people. Rotavirus is the condition that most commonly causes diarrhoeal disease among infants and young children.
The official health warning urged people to strictly adhere to the principle of eating clean, hot and well cooked food, to steer clear of raw foods, ensure clean drinking water is consumed and to maintain best-practice personal hygiene.
In an interview with The Phuket News today, Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) Chief Kusak Kukiattikoon explained: “This is not a new virus. This virus has been spreading in Phuket every year at the beginning of the rainy season. The viruses that cause diarrhea are Novirus and Rotavirus.
“We found these viruses every year following the beginning of the rainy season and would last for at least a month but this year the number rises higher than the previous years and social media is very fast so people learned about it quickly.
“According to the number of patients being hospitalised around Phuket between June 6 – 9, there have been 289 patients with the symptoms, of which 66 have already returned home. There were 470 OPD patients at Vachira Phuket Hospital and 34 of them were hospitalised. At Thalang Hospital there were 122 patients at the OPD, and two were hospitalised. At Patong Hospital, there were more than 200 people at the OPD and 10 of those were hospitalised.
“Doctors are now providing symptomatic treatment for people who do not need to stay at the hospital. For those who are highly dehydrated and cannot eat and drink, they will be hospitalised with saline solution.
“I would not say this is a normal situation as it is an epidemic but we can handle it. There is no dead case and we have sufficient manpower and tools from both government and private hospitals.
“People should protect themselves with food hygiene. Eat clean and freshly cooked food, do not share a spoon and fork, and wash their hands often. People who are at risk or start be unable to drink and eat, and feel fatigued should see a doctor immediately.”
Dr Kusak’s comments came after yesterday’s meeting outlining the general health guidelines, which was held at Provincial Hall chaired by Phuket Govenor Narong Woonciew. He was joined by: Vice Governor Danai Sunantarod; Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) Chief Kusak Kukiattikoon; Rewat Areerob, President of Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO); Supachok La-Ongphet, Deputy Mayor of Phuket City; Wipha Sairat, Director of PPAO; Dr Chuchat Nijawatana, Director of Phuket Hospital Chalong; Dr Banphot Pankhueaw, Director of Thalang Hospital; Suphalak La-Ongpetch, Deputy Director. Vachira Phuket Hospital; Muen Prae Boonlom, Director of Patong Hospital; and Permkiat Ketkul, Chairman of the Private Education Coordination and Promotion Committee, Phuket Province.
PPHO’s Dr Kusak explained that on Tuesday there were over 100 public hospitals and private clinics who reported patients of all ages complaining of stomach infections, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, while some also complained of high fever. A significant number of the patients were children and it was found cases of diarrhea had been escalating in schools across the island but especially in the districts of Muang, Kathu and Thalang.
In response the PPHO liaised with other government agencies to propose that all health facilities be on the look out for and monitor water bourne diseases in an attempt to control any widespread outbreak.
Additionally, all educational facilities and public spaces were urged to conduct thorough surveillance and to specifically ensure that best-practice hygiene was being adhered to in regards to preparation and consumption of food and personal hygiene such as washing of hands, etc. Areas where disease could spread were also required to be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly.
All local administrative organisations were instructed to carry out surveillance of food sanitation standards in places where food is sold, such as restaurants, food stalls, fresh markets, flea markets and street food vendors, while also ensuring all public areas were thoroughly cleaned with a disinfectant such as chlorine. Particular focus was to be on establishments that supply drinking water and ice are to ensure the production process of such is conducted safely to reduce any risk of contamination.
Furthermore, all wastewater treatment systems are to be disinfected with chlorine before being released to public water sources and an ongoing monitoring of water supply systems need to be enforced.
Ongoing tests of water, ice and feces and vomit from selected patients would also be conducted to monitor the situation.
