Chiang Mai: Unexplained myocarditis - 7 deaths - pesticide poisoning suspected

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

I thought I would post this here for completeness, but there is nothing here that wasn't in the MOH release from the 12th. In particular, it does not reconicle the fact that despite listing six suspected cases, the sum of the number next to the nationalities is 7 (1+1+2+3=7). No clue which count might be correct.

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/young-french-tourists-death-chiang-mai-link-13817/

Young French Tourist's Death No. 6 in Chiang Mai Link
By Alan Morison

Monday, March 14, 2011
THE revelation of a sixth death and the results of an investigation by Thailand's Department of Disease Control has shed new light on the series of mysterious fatalities in Chiang Mai.

The sixth death involved a Frenchwoman - one of two who fell sick, a media release from the department says. It highlighted the exceptional nature of a complaint that appears to have struck down six young women aged 23-33 between January 9 and February 4, killing three of them.


.
These three deaths - the unnamed Frenchwoman, New Zealander Sarah Carter, 23, and American Mariam Soraya Vorster (Pandola), 33 - have been linked by the media to three other deaths, British pensioners George and Eileen Everitt, and Thai guide Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, 47.

The joint investigation by the department with the Chiang Mai Provincial Health Office ''found four clinically-confirmed cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and another two patients with mild symptoms.

''These six patients were among three separate groups of tourists visiting Chiang Mai, Thailand, between 9 January and 4 February. All were young women aged 23-33 years and were from the United States (1), Canada (1), France (2) and New Zealand (3).''

Five of the six women ''became ill while visiting Chiang Mai and one developed symptoms three days before arriving there.''

However, extensive epidemiological investigation ''has not revealed any common exposures across the three groups.''

The media release says autopsies on two of the dead patients (American and French) were done by forensic medical experts from Chiang Mai University.

The joint investigation team found four clinically-confirmed cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and another two patients with mild symptoms.

''The autopsies found nothing abnormal except for inflammation of the heart muscle,'' it says.

''The Department of Disease Control has shared this information with the World Health Organisation and US CDC offices in Bangkok, as well as the New Zealand Embassy and the International Health Regulation focal points of France and the European Community.''

The report carefully distinguishes between the cases involving the six young women and the other cases.

''In a separate episode, since 3 February, there were three other deaths in the same hotel where the three New Zealanders stayed,'' it says.

''This included an elderly British couple and a 47 year old Thai woman.

''As these three deaths occurred outside the hospital, the police took charge of the investigation.

''The autopsies of the two elderly Britons found a high degree of coronary occlusion while the examination of the Thai woman found no inflammation of the heart muscle or any other clear evidence to explain the cause of her death.''

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

No new information, but a travel warning.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10713331

Travel to Chiang Mai with care - MFAT
12:00 PM Friday Mar 18, 2011

Sarah Carter became ill last month while staying at the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai, and died a day later.

New Zealanders travelling to Chiang Mai in Thailand should take preventive health measures following six mystery deaths in the city, including New Zealander Sarah Carter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) says.

Ms Carter, 23, became ill last month while staying at the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai, and died a day later.

Early reports suggested the cause of her death was toxic seaweed she had eaten, but food poisoning tests proved inconclusive.

Since her death a further five people have been reported as having died in similar circumstances around the same time.

A report by Thailand's Department of Disease Control found Ms Carter was one of three people to die as a result of myocarditis between January 9 and February 4 in Chiang Mai - the others were American Soraya Vorster, 33, and a Frenchwoman aged between 23 and 33.

An elderly British couple and a 47-year-old Thai woman staying in the same hotel as Ms Carter also died around the same time, in similar circumstances.

Chiang Mai Governor Pannada Disakul said their deaths were coincidental.

MFAT said in a travel advisory issued yesterday evening it was aware of the six unexplained deaths.

"The cause of death is unknown, and the results to date are inconclusive although there has been speculative media comment linking the deaths to local food markets."

The advisory warned travellers to take general preventive health measures, including paying attention to personal hygiene, eating only hot food and drinking clean water.

"Those who experience severe sudden multiple vomiting with or without diarrhoea, should seek medical attention immediately.

"The Governor and authorities in Chiang Mai have asserted that Chiang Mai is safe for tourists.

"However, in light of the lack of any clear explanation of the recent deaths, it is up to individual travellers themselves to determine the risks of travelling there."

- NZPA

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

The ProMED moderator adds two additional sources of possible accidental poisoning: skewers that food was cooked/served on and herbs used to season the food. Since the victims seem to have eaten different things, those might be good possibilities.

It is worth pointing out that speculation based on what we know is very unreliable for two unusual reasons. First, there has been about a 4-6 week delay between the incidents and their reporting, which can blur some information. Secondly, much more is known by the investigators on the ground than has been released in the media articles; we don't know the names, onset dates, symptoms, or even nationalities of some of the suspected cases.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,87627

Archive Number 20110318.0866
Published Date 18-MAR-2011
Subject PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths - Thailand (02): (CM)

UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS - THAILAND (02): (CHIANG MAI)
************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: 14 Mar 2011
Source: Phuketwan Tourism News [edited]
<http://phuketwan.com/tourism/young-french-tourists-death-chiang-mai-link-13817/>


Young French Tourist's Death No. 6 in Chiang Mai
------------------------------------------------
The revelation of a 6th death and the results of an investigation by
Thailand's Department of Disease Control has shed new light on the
series of mysterious fatalities in Chiang Mai.

The 6th death involved a Frenchwoman -- one of 2 who fell sick, a
media release from the department says. It highlighted the exceptional
nature of a complaint that appears to have struck down 6 young women
aged 23-33 between 9 Jan 2011 and 4 Feb 2011, killing 3 of them.

These 3 deaths -- the unnamed Frenchwoman, a New Zealand woman also
23, and an American, aged 33 -- have been linked by the media to 3
other deaths, 2 British pensioners, a man and a woman and a
47-year-old Thai guide.

The joint investigation by the department with the Chiang Mai
Provincial Health Office found 4 clinically-confirmed cases of
myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and another 2 patients
with mild symptoms.

"These 6 patients were among 3 separate groups of tourists visiting
Chiang Mai, Thailand, between 9 Jan 2011 and 4 Feb 2011. All were
young women aged 23-33 years and were from the United States (1),
Canada (1), France (2) and New Zealand (3)." 5 of the 6 women "became
ill while visiting Chiang Mai and one developed symptoms 3 days before
arriving there." However, an extensive epidemiological investigation
"has not revealed any common exposures across the 3 groups."

The media release says autopsies on 2 of the dead patients (American
and French) were done by forensic medical experts from Chiang Mai
University. The joint investigation team found 4 clinically-confirmed
cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and another 2
patients with mild symptoms. "The autopsies found nothing abnormal
except for inflammation of the heart muscle," it says.

"The Department of Disease Control has shared this information with
the World Health Organisation and US CDC offices in Bangkok, as well
as the New Zealand Embassy and the International Health Regulation
focal points of France and the European Community." The report
carefully distinguishes between the cases involving the 6 young women
and the other cases.

"In a separate episode, since 3 Feb 2011, there were 3 other deaths
in the same hotel where the 3 New Zealanders stayed," it says. "This
included an elderly British couple and a 47-year-old Thai woman. As
these 3 deaths occurred outside the hospital, the police took charge
of the investigation. The autopsies of the 2 elderly Britons found a
high degree of coronary occlusion while the examination of the Thai
woman found no inflammation of the heart muscle or any other clear
evidence to explain the cause of her death."

One recent report on the Chiang Mai cases also claimed there had been
50 "unexplained deaths" among expats on Phuket in an 8-month period
last year [2010]. Germany's honorary consul for Phuket, Dirk Naumann,
said today: "That's absolute rubbish. If it was true, all the honorary
consuls would have been up in arms about it."

Neither of the online sites that carried the misleading article --
Asia Sentinel or Irrawaddy -- has responded to requests that they
correct the falsehood.

Two young women -- a 22-year-old Norwegian and a 27-year-old American
-- died within hours of falling sick at a guest house on the holiday
island of Phi Phi, off Phuket, in May 2009 in a baffling case that
failed to produce a cause for their deaths.

[Byline: Alan Morison]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promded@promedmail.org>

[Chiang Mai is located in the mountainous north of Thailand and is a
favourite destination for tourists, attracting backpackers as well as
a more upmarket clientele of all ages. The hotel involved has been
rated a 2/3 star establishment. The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive
map of Thailand can be accessed at: <http://healthmap.org/r/00cC>.

Myocarditis can be caused by a variety of infections (mainly viral),
and by immune diseases (such as systemic lupus, etc.), pregnancy, and
other ill-defined conditions. The commonest cause of myocarditis is
viral infection of heart muscle resulting in local inflammation.
Enteroviruses are the agents most commonly associated with
myocarditis. After the initial infection subsides, the body's immune
system may continue to inflict inflammatory damage to the heart muscle
prolonging the myocarditis. This circumstance may make it difficult to
attribute the condition to any particular virus. Enteroviral
infections are prevalent where living conditions and hygiene are
inadequate.

While it is feasible to attribute the the Chiang Mai incident to
viral infection, no positive evidence has been advanced to confirm
this possibility and other circumstances, other than fortuitous
coincidence, should be considered - Mod.CP

How suspicious that so many deaths are linked to the same hotel and
the same city. It would seem unlikely that food poisoning is the
source of the situation. We are not told if the victim that died in
the city had any association with the hotel. However, I might be
willing to consider an herbal preparation or seasoning that is popular
in this area and is not prepared properly, or has been mistakenly
identified and is a toxic plant.

There are vegetation and herbs that may cause cardiac issues, but for
surgery to correct it seems a bit odd. An additional oddity is that
this myocarditis has come on quickly enough to kill these people. This
had to be something very potent. Things like _Nerium oleander_ come to
mind, and may possibly be used in food preparation, such as a fuel
source for cooking, or a stick to place the food on. A pancake type of
food on a stick is popular in Thailand. I am not suggesting this is
the cause but rather speculating as these cases seem to have baffled
the investigators.

The strong connection between the hotel and the majority of the
victims may also make me think of perhaps a chemical in the air
handling system, or on the beds perhaps.

It is odd that most of the victims are women. While women may be
vulnerable in many ways, as are the aged couple, this is still rather
unsettling. - Mod.TG]

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

And this might be a huge break in the case.

Obviously, this explains the discrepancies in the MOH report.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10713886

Seventh mysterious death in Thai tourist resort
By Elizabeth Binning and Andrew Drummond 5:30 AM Monday Mar 21, 2011 Share8 Email
Print

Expand Bill Mah. Photo / SuppliedThe death toll in Chiang Mai, Thailand, continues to rise with a seventh person now identified as having died in similar circumstances to a young New Zealand tourist.

Canadian Bill Mah, 59, died after using the facilities of the Downtown Inn - the same hotel linked to the deaths of an elderly British couple, a Thai tourist guide and 23-year-old New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter.

Ms Carter died in hospital from a heart inflammation two days after she and two friends became sick while staying at the Inn, which is in the heart of Chiang Mai next to the popular Night Bazaar markets.

Two other women, who were not staying at the Inn, have also died in the city in similar circumstances within a month. Thai authorities deny any link between the deaths, but victims' families are demanding answers, with some alleging there is a cover-up into the real cause.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said last night he had asked for more information about the latest death. "Obviously that lends some weight to the concerns we have expressed previously."

Details about Bill Mah have emerged after his friend Ken Fraser raised questions about his death.

Mr Mah wasn't staying at the Downtown Inn, but Mr Fraser said the 59-year-old had used the hotel's facilities, including the swimming pool, for which coupons were available in his own hotel.

Mr Mah had been in Chiang Mai for two weeks before falling ill at a dinner party on January 24. The next morning, he complained of lack of sleep because of chest pains and was taken to hospital, where tests ruled out a heart attack.

He was sent home two days later with medication for acid reflux but was found dead in his room that night.

Mr Fraser said his friend had only just retired from work after having gone 25 years without missing a single day through illness.

A report states "suspected natural disease pending lab reports and toxicology" as the cause of death, but Mr Fraser said those results and the official cause of death had not been released. "I know Bill used the facilities at the Downtown Inn because he asked me to go there with him but I had other things to do. What natural disease are they saying he had?"

Mr Mah's friends and relatives are now joining a chorus of people who believe Thai authorities are playing down the presence of a virus.

Ms Carter's father, Richard Carter, believes there is a cover-up. He has called for the Downtown Inn to be closed until the truth is uncovered and would like to see an independent investigation into the deaths.

The manager of the Downtown Inn was not available for comment.

The Herald understands an initial swab result has suggested Ms Carter had contracted echovirus. The disease is linked to dirty and overcrowded conditions but Thai police have given the all-clear to the Downtown Inn.

Thailand's Department for Disease Control said it could not find links between the deaths or a link to the Downtown Inn, which is owned by a former mayor of the city.

GROWING TOLL IN CHIANG MAI

* Jan 11: American Mariam Soraya Vorster, 33, staying at a different hotel, but dies from swelling of the heart.

* Jan 26: Canadian Bill Mah, 59, dies after using the facilities of the Downtown Inn.

* Jan 9-Feb 4: A French woman died during this period from swelling of the heart.

* Feb 3: Thai tourist guide Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, 47, dies in the Downtown Inn.

* Feb 4: Kiwi Sarah Carter, 23, taken from Downtown Inn to hospital. She died two days later, also with swelling of the heart.

* Feb 18: British couple George and Eileen Everitt, who are in their 70s, both die from heart attacks at the Downtown Inn.

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Lots of details about this latest reported death, which actually occurred before one that starts this thread. Notably, we do not have any reports of illnesses or deaths occurring after the start of this thread, except for the British elderly couple.

Of note is that we have an additional symptom of sweating, which might indicate the presence of fever. No indication of any illness, severe or mild, in any of his contacts.

If this outbreak is indeed due to one of the detected enteroviruses, there must have been hundreds, if not thousands, of unreported mild cases. Although the fact that six of the seven fatalities (six out of ten if you count the three Thai males only reported in the ThaiVisa forum) are foreigners might be unusual.

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2011/03/20/now-a-canadian-death-adds-to-chiang-mai-riddle/

A Canadian man from Edmonton has become the seventh mystery death in a month in a controversy which has rocked the northern Thai capital of Chiang Mai.
Canadian Bill Mah, 59, died after using the facilities of the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai, where a British couple and a Thai tourist guide were found dead in their rooms, and also from where a 23-yr-old New Zealand woman was taken convulsing and vomiting before her death in hospital.



Today friends and relatives of Mr. Mah, who worked for Telplus Communications in Edmonton as a telephone installer and repairman, were seeking clarification of the cause of his death saying Mr. Mah had no history of any heart problem. The death was not made public at the time.

Now seven weeks have passed but still no toxicology tests have been returned.


Mr. Mah had been staying at the nearby People’s Place Hotel in Chiang Mai and had used the facilities including swimming pool of the Downtown Inn for which coupons were available in his own hotel lobby.


Bill Mah (left) with friend Ken Fraser

Ken Fraser, who was on golfing holiday with his friend from Alberta said: “His death is a complete mystery. He seemed fit enough with no history of heart problems. We have not been told his cause of death. We only have an initial report.
“That report states ‘Suspected natural disease pending lab reports and toxicology’, but we have not been given the results of the tests and we have pressed the Canadian consul to try and get answers for us. I know Bill used the facilities at the Downtown Inn because he asked me to go there with him but I had other things to do. What natural disease are they saying he had?”

Bill Mah died on January 26th and had been in Chiang Mai two weeks previous to his death.
He first fell in on January 24th at a dinner party with friend and was dropped back at his hotel at 11 p.m.
The following morning he complained of lack of sleep due to chest pains, said Mr. Fraser, and was taken at 9 am to Chiang Mai Ram Hospital.
“ He was kept there for 24 hours while they conducted a barrage of tests on him to determine if he was having a heart attack. The tests all came back negative. On the morning of the 26th the chest pains were less and the doctor diagnosed him with acid reflux and sent him home with the appropriate medicine for that ailment.
“Bill joined us for breakfast at the People Palace Hotel where we were all staying after his release but did not eat. He told us of his ordeal and said he had not slept since Sunday the 23rd so he was going back to his room to get some sleep.
“ That evening, when I checked in on him, he was in bed sweating and saying that he was not feeling well again. He did not want to go back to hospital.


Death certificate says Mr.Wah died of suspected natural causes

Later when I called on him he came to the door but before he could open it I could hear him collapse on the other side. We had to kick the door in. We tried to revive him in vain. At the hospital he was pronounced dead fifteen minutes after arrival.

“Bill retired from his work six months ago where he did not miss one day due to illness in 25 years. Since he was a practicing Buddhist we had him cremated in Chiang Mai assuming that he died of a heart attack.
“However we have still not received the full autopsy report stating official findings and cause of death and it has been 7 weeks.
“Staff at Chiang Mai Ram hospital stand by their lab test results and EKG and conclude that Bill was not having a heart attack so we want to know what it was. And the hospital said he died of ’suspected natural causes pending toxicology reports’.”
The relatives of Mr. Mah are now joining a chorus of relatives who believe the authorities are playing down the presence of a virus in the city.
American Tony Pandola is demanding the lab results on the death of his 33-yr-old wife Soraya Pandola in January. He claims she had the same symptoms as Sarah Carter, from Auckland, 23, who died in hospital after being taken ill with two friends in the Downtown Hotel.

But Soraya like Mr. Mah was not staying at the Downtown Inn.
Briton Stephen Everitt, from Boston, Lincolnshire, in England is demanding to know how his parents George, 78 and Eileen, 74, died simultaneously of a heart attack at the Downtown Hotel Room 423 on February 18th.

“How could both my parents have died at the same time?”

And Richard Carter the father of Sarah claims simply that there is a cover-up going on and has demanded that the Downtown Inn be closed until the truth is found out about the deaths.
Little is known of the Thai victim tourist guide Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, 47, whose body was taken from room 518 of the hotel on March 3rd the same day as Sarah Carter was taken ill in Room 516 next door, nor of the French victim, also a woman.
Thailand’s Department for Disease Control says it can find no links between the deaths of the six cases it had examined of people visiting Chiang Mai in January and February and no link to the Downtown Inn owned by a millionaire former Mayor of the city. But they had found evidence of the Coxsackie virus in Sarah and ‘Echovirus’ in another. Four of the deaths were due to myocarditis.
People can contract the Coxsackie and Echo virus from food, water, in the air, and even objects such as bed linen or taps (faucets).

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2011/03/21/17696151.html

Mystery surrounds tourist deaths
By Jasmine FRANKLIN, QMI Agency

Last Updated: March 20, 2011 10:43pm

EDMONTON ? A 59-year-old Edmontonian is now seventh on the list of mysterious deaths that have hit tourists passing through a Thailand hotel since January.

Bill Mah died Jan. 26 in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand of ?suspected natural disease? after vacationing in the city for two weeks prior.

Friend and travel companion Ken Fraser told freelance journalist Andrew Drummond that although Mah was staying at the People Palace Hotel, he had used facilities, including the swimming pool, at the Downtown Inn ? a common location between six other people who have died in the region since January.

?His death is a complete mystery. He seemed fit enough with no history of heart problems. We have not been told his cause of death. We only have an initial report,? Fraser told Drummond.

Fraser said Mah has had no history of heart problems and in the seven weeks since his death, no toxicology reports have been returned.

?We have pressed the Canadian consul to try and get answers for us,? said Fraser. ?I know Bill used the facilities at the Downtown Inn because he asked me to go there with him but I had other things to do.?

On Jan. 24, Mah began to feel sick, complaining of lack of sleep due to chest pains. He was taken to the local hospital where Fraser says he was kept for 24 hours and tested for signs of a heart attack.

?The tests all came back negative. On the morning of the 26th, the chest pains were less and the doctor diagnosed him with acid reflux and sent him home,? Fraser told Drummond.

?That evening, when I checked on him, he was in bed sweating and saying that he was not feeling well again. Later when I called on him, he came to the door but before he could open it. I could hear him collapse on the other side. We had to kick the door in.

?We tried to revive him in vain. At the hospital he was pronounced dead 15 minutes after arrival.?

Drummond reported that the Thailand Department for Disease Control said so far there are no links between the deaths of cases examined of people visiting Chiang Mai in January and February and no link to the Downtown Inn.

Chiang Mai Governor Pannada Disakul reportedly said the deaths were coincidental.

The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs told QMI Agency on Sunday that it is aware of the Canadian death.

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10714047

Update on Thai probe into deaths expected
By Nicholas Jones 5:30 AM Tuesday Mar 22, 2011 Share Email
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Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully is expecting to receive updated information today about the death of Sarah Carter, one of seven who have died in mysterious circumstances in Thailand.

New Zealand officials in Thailand have been monitoring the investigation into Ms Carter's death but Mr McCully asked for a further briefing after it emerged Canadian Bill Mah, 59, died after using the facilities of the same hotel where Ms Carter, 23, fell fatally ill.

Ms Carter's father, Richard, contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday and asked them to start an independent investigation into the deaths.

"If the Thais are doing it themselves it's just likely to get glossed over," he said.

"Hopefully with all these deaths from all different countries, the various embassies will be able to put on enough pressure to get some sort of independent inquiry going."

When the sixth death was revealed this month, Mr Carter said he was not surprised and thought more would be uncovered.

Now he wants action to get answers.

"It's certainly at a stage now where they need to get cracking ... and my conversations with the friends of other deceased indicate that they have been frustrated in their attempts to find answers as well."

Ms Carter died in hospital from heart inflammation two days after she and two friends became sick while staying at the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai.

An elderly British couple and a Thai tourist guide also died after staying at the hotel, and two other women died in Chiang Mai in similar circumstances within one month.

Thailand's Department for Disease Control said it could not find links between the deaths and authorities labelled them coincidental.

An initial report into Mr Mah's death on January 26 stated "suspected natural disease pending lab reports and toxicology" as the cause of death, but his friend said those results had still not been released.

Tests to determine the cause of Ms Carter's death are being carried out overseas, although the Herald understands an initial swab result indicated she had contracted echovirus.

The virus is linked to dirty conditions but Thai police gave the all-clear to the Downtown Inn, owned by a former mayor of the city, after checking it.

Mr Carter said he was searching for answers on behalf of visitors to Thailand.

"The grieving element will be hard to go away because of the fact we'll never get Sarah back. But the situation with following up on this is really more for the sake of future tourists, so the same situation doesn't happen to them."

He had tried to keep busy since his daughter's death but there were inevitably moments when the grief would catch up with him.

"When you're waking up to that as your first thought every day ... certainly the mornings and the weekends when we've got more time to ourselves seem to be the times when we're thinking a lot more of the tragic situation that befell Sarah."

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Oooh. This is new, and potentially important. If this is really true, it means all the deaths we know much about (we know little about the Frenchwoman, or the supposed Thai males) would be linked to the Downtown Inn location.

Obviously, there is a big difference in epidemiology between sporadic cases among tourists in the city, and a bunch of cases linked to one location.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2011/03/20/17694611.html

[snip]

Jan. 11 — American Soraya Pandola, 33, dies of swelling of the heart muscles after becoming violently ill after eating Japanese food in Chiang Mai. Like Mah, she was not staying at the Downtown Inn but used facilities there. Lab results for the cause of death have not been received. Her husband Tony has demanded the Inn be closed and that he receives the lab reports.

 

[Emily]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Very interesting, Alert.

Mr Mah wasn't staying at the Downtown Inn, but Mr Fraser said the 59-year-old had used the hotel's facilities, including the swimming pool, for which coupons were available in his own hotel.

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Not much new here, but I figured I'd post for completeness.

http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1388912

Mysterious Thai deaths - update
5am
Ed Mason
3/22/2011


The New Zealand government wants updated information on the mysterious death in Thailand of a young woman after learning of the death of an Edmonton man.

Bill Mah, 59, of Edmonton experienced severe chest pains and died a day later...becoming the seventh visitor to die unexpectedly while visiting Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. The common thread in the deaths is that they happened after people visited to the downtown hotel district of the city.

When New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully learned of Bill Mah's death, the New Zeland Herald reports he requested an update on the investigation into the earlier death of 23-year old Sarah Carter. She died two days after becoming ill from a suspected virus that caused cardiac inflamation. No word if Canada's Foreign Affairs department has requested a similar follow-up into Mah's death. (EM, NZ Herald)

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 2 friends hospitalised

And a big update #2 from the Thailand DDC/MOPH.

It is possible, given that essentially every unexplained death in a large city is being analyzed, that one or more background cases may be included in these reports, but what it important to discover is the main cause of this outbreak (i.e. what sickened the three girls in post #1 and probably the Thai tour guide next door).

http://www.ddc.moph.go.th/pnews/showimgdetil.php?id=249

Progress on epidemiologic investigation of myocarditis cases in Chiangmai
(Updated 22 March 2011)


The Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand is continuing its investigation of cases of myocarditis and unexplained deaths in Chiang Mai. To date, this investigation has involved the following organizations, institutions and persons: the Department of Disease Control and Bureau of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand; the Provincial Public Health Office, Chiang Mai; Ramathibodi Poisons Centre, Bangkok; WHO Thailand; the WHO Regional offices of the Americas, Europe, South East Asia and the Western Pacific; WHO Headquarters; the United States Centers for Disease Control; and the International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal Points of France and New Zealand. In the meantime, staff of the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok are periodically consulted and updated.

After the first update on 11 March 2011, no further new cases of myocarditis or unexplained deaths have been identified. Therefore, it remains the case that since the deaths of the husband and wife from the UK on 19 February 2011, no further new cases have been reported despite the institution of active surveillance (case finding) in all 25 hospitals in the Province of Chiang Mai. Reports of an additional death in a 59-year old Canadian male who died on 26 January and may have visited a hotel where other deaths have been reported are being actively investigated, but at present, the details of this case remain unverified. The Department of Disease Control is sending an investigation team to review the details of this case and determine whether there is any linkage to the cases described in the first update.


The investigation and reporting of these events has been complex and subject to a number of important constraints. Deaths that occur outside of a hospital or in unexplained circumstances are the primary responsibility of the police, resulting in parallel forensic and public health investigations, but the full integration of all such efforts is now in progress. Active case finding therefore currently include examination of relevant police records and forensic pathology reports, as well as reports appearing in the media. In addition, all hotels and guesthouses in the city of Chiang Mai are currently required to report episodes of severe vomiting in guests.


The different owners of the hotels and guesthouses that have been associated with deaths are all giving their cooperation to the investigation including reporting possibly new suspect cases. To date, no common link has been found between cases with respect to restaurants, water, food and travel.

Although many cases appear to have suffered similar illnesses, a detailed examination of clinical case records shows important differences that place significant constraints on establishing a common cause. In addition, one case developed symptoms before arriving in Chiang Mai and several other cases developed symptoms, and in one case died, less than 24 hours after arrival in the city. All the cases of confirmed myocarditis and the other cases (travelling companions) directly associated with them were identified and clinically investigated at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital which is an international standard healthcare facility accredited by the Joint Commission International Accreditation USA. All the cases of clinically confirmed myocarditis were diagnosed based on the findings of echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) and raised levels of cardiac (heart muscle) enzymes. However, the clinical details of these cases also show some significant differences, for example only one had a high fever, and the histopathology of the heart muscle specimens of the two cases on which autopsies were performed show different findings. The significance of these findings is currently unclear, but they may point to different underlying causes.

On 15 March, the Department of Disease Control has held a VDO Conference with WHO Thailand and US CDC, Atlanta about the cases. Specimens of blood, heart muscle and urine available from some of the deceased case are being shipped for further testing in US CDC. Blood and stool specimens from the two surviving cases in New Zealand nationals are also being sent to Japan for further testing

Based on available scientific evidence so far and the absence of new cases in travelers or local population despite vigilant surveillance, threats to the general public remain low or minimal. The general public and tourists in Chiangmai are not recommended to take any specific precautions, but should continue to observe general preventive health measures as described in the previous update. Any persons who may have specific medical or public heath concerns about this event are invited to report them or make queries using the following email address: outbreak@health.moph.go.th.

We wish to highlight that in the absence to date of any clearly defined and specific threat to public health, and following specific requests from grieving family members to show sensitivity and respect confidentiality, information on some of the cases whose names have already appeared in media reports is not being made public until a preliminary investigation has been completed. Furthermore, detailed personal information of cases will not be made available even after completion of all enquiries.

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,87677

Archive Number 20110322.0904
Published Date 22-MAR-2011
Subject PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths - Thailand (03): (CM)

UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS - THAILAND (03): (CHIANG MAI)
************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

[1]
Date: Tue 22 Mar 2011
Source: Calgary Sun, via QMI Agency [edited]
<http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2011/03/21/17696151.html>


Mystery surrounds tourist deaths
--------------------------------
A 59-year-old Edmontonian is now 7th on the list of mysterious deaths
that have hit tourists passing through a Thailand hotel since January
[2011]. The Edmontonian died 26 Jan 2011 in Chiang Mai in northern
Thailand of suspected natural disease after vacationing in the city
for 2 weeks prior. A friend and travel companion told a freelance
journalist that although his friend was staying at the People Palace
Hotel, he had used facilities, including the swimming pool, at the
Downtown Inn a common location between 6 other people who have died in
the region since January.

His death is a complete mystery. He seemed fit enough with no history
of heart problems. We have not been told his cause of death. We only
have an initial report his friend told the journalist. He had no
history of heart problems and in the 7 weeks since his death, no
toxicology reports have been returned.

We have pressed the Canadian consul to try and get answers for us,
said his companion. I know he used the facilities at the Downtown Inn
because he asked me to go there with him but I had other things to do
at the time.

On 24 Jan 2011 the victim began to feel sick, complaining of lack of
sleep due to chest pains. He was taken to the local hospital where his
friend said he was kept for 24 hours and tested for signs of a heart
attack. The tests all came back negative. On the morning of the 26th,
the chest pains were less and the doctor diagnosed him with acid
reflux and sent him home, according to his friend. His friend said
that the same evening, when he checked on him, he was in bed sweating
and saying that he was not feeling well again. Later when his friend
called on him, he came to the door but before he could open it, he
could hear him collapse on the other side. They had to kick the door
in. His friend said that they tried to revive him in vain. At the
hospital he was pronounced dead 15 minutes after arrival.

The investigative journalist reported that the Thailand Department
for Disease Control said so far there are no links between the deaths
of cases examined of people visiting Chiang Mai in January and
February and no link to the Downtown Inn. Chiang Mai Governor Pannada
Disakul reportedly said the deaths were coincidental.

The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs told QMI Agency on Sunday
[20 Mar 2011] that it is aware of the Canadian death.

[Byline: Jasmine Franklin, Andrew Drummond]

******
[2]
Date: Mon 21 Mar 2011
Source: nzherald.co.nz [edited]
<http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10713886>


Another mysterious death in Thai tourist resort
-----------------------------------------------
The death toll in Chiang Mai, Thailand, continues to rise with a 7th
person now identified as having died in similar circumstances to a
young New Zealand tourist.

A 59-year-old Canadian died after using the facilities of the
Downtown Inn, the same hotel linked to the deaths of an elderly
British couple, a Thai tourist guide and a 23-year-old female New
Zealand tourist. The New Zealander died in hospital from a heart
inflammation [myocarditis] 2 days after she and 2 friends became sick
while staying at the Inn, which is in the heart of Chiang Mai next to
the popular Night Bazaar markets.

In addition, 2 other women, who were not staying at the Inn, have
also died in the city in similar circumstances within a month. Thai
authorities deny any link between the deaths, but victims' families
are demanding answers, with some alleging there is a cover-up into the
real cause.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said last night he had
asked for more information about the latest death. "Obviously that
lends some weight to the concerns we have expressed previously."

[Byline: Elizabeth Binning, Andrew Drummond]

--
Communicated by:
Denis legion
<legion@q-net.net.au>

[The death of this elderly Canadian male occurred contemporaneously
with the previously reported deaths of 6 people (5 females and one
male) in the resort town of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. All had
some association of differing extents with one particular tourist
hotel (the Downtown Inn). (It is important to note, however, that the
7th victim did not die in this hotel [but he did visit it - alert]).

Where autopsies were undertaken the common feature was myocarditis,
possible as a direct consequence of virus infection. Myocarditis can
be caused by a variety of infections (mainly viral), and by immune
diseases (such as systemic lupus, etc.), pregnancy, and other
ill-defined conditions. The commonest cause of myocarditis is viral
infection of heart muscle resulting in local inflammation (which in
females may be influenced by hormonal factors). No evidence has been
forthcoming subsequently to support the inference of virus infection,
though myocarditis could be a consequence of either gastrointestinal
(e.g., enteroviruses) or respiratory virus (e.g., influenza virus)
infection.

So far nothing untoward has been reported by the Thai authorities
following inspections of the Downtown Inn and no confirmation of a
common viral infection either in the victims or in the general
community has been reported. The best explanations remain exposure to
some form of environmental or food-borne toxin, or simply
coincidence.

Chiang Mai is located in the mountainous north of Thailand and is a
favourite destination for tourists of all ages and motivations. The
hotel involved has been rated a 2/3 star establishment. The HealthMap/
ProMED-mail interactive map of Thailand can be accessed at:
<http://healthmap.org/r/00cC>. - Mod.CP]

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,87730

Archive Number 20110325.0949
Published Date 25-MAR-2011
Subject PRO/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths - Thailand (04): (CM)

UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS - THAILAND (04): (CHIANG MAI)
************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Tue 22 Mar 2011
Source: Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Thailand
[edited]
<http://www.ddc.moph.go.th/pnews/showimgdetil.php?id=251>


Progress on epidemiologic investigation of myocarditis cases in
Chiang Mai
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health,
Thailand is continuing its investigation of cases of myocarditis and
unexplained deaths in Chiang Mai. To date, this investigation has
involved the following organizations, institutions and persons: the
Department of Disease Control and Bureau of Epidemiology, Ministry of
Public Health, Thailand; the Provincial Public Health Office, Chiang
Mai; Ramathibodi Poisons Centre, Bangkok; WHO Thailand; the WHO
Regional offices of the Americas, Europe, South East Asia, and the
Western Pacific; WHO Headquarters; the United States Centers for
Disease Control; and the International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal
Points of France and New Zealand. In the meantime, staff of the New
Zealand Embassy in Bangkok are periodically consulted and updated.

After the 1st update on 11 Mar 2011, no further new cases of
myocarditis or unexplained deaths have been identified. Therefore, it
remains the case that since the deaths of the husband and wife from
the UK on 19 Feb 2011, no further new cases have been reported despite
the institution of active surveillance (case finding) in all 25
hospitals in the Province of Chiang Mai. Reports of an additional
death in a 59-year old Canadian male who died on 26 Jan 2011 and may
have visited a hotel where other deaths have been reported are being
actively investigated, but at present, the details of this case remain
unverified. The Department of Disease Control is sending an
investigation team to review the details of this case and determine
whether there is any linkage to the cases described in the 1st
update.

The investigation and reporting of these events has been complex and
subject to a number of important constraints. Deaths that occur
outside of a hospital or in unexplained circumstances are the primary
responsibility of the police, resulting in parallel forensic and
public health investigations, but the full integration of all such
efforts is now in progress. Active case finding therefore currently
includes examination of relevant police records and forensic pathology
reports, as well as reports appearing in the media. In addition, all
hotels and guesthouses in the city of Chiang Mai are currently
required to report episodes of severe vomiting in guests.

The different owners of the hotels and guesthouses that have been
associated with deaths are all giving their cooperation to the
investigation including reporting possibly new suspect cases. To date,
no common link has been found between cases with respect to
restaurants, water, food, and travel.

Although many cases appear to have suffered similar illnesses, a
detailed examination of clinical case records shows important
differences that place significant constraints on establishing a
common cause. In addition, one case developed symptoms before arriving
in Chiang Mai and several other cases developed symptoms, and in one
case died, less than 24 hours after arrival in the city. All the cases
of confirmed myocarditis and the other cases (travelling companions)
directly associated with them were identified and clinically
investigated at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital which is an international
standard healthcare facility accredited by the Joint Commission
International Accreditation USA. All the cases of clinically confirmed
myocarditis were diagnosed based on the findings of echocardiography
(cardiac ultrasound) and raised levels of cardiac (heart muscle)
enzymes. However, the clinical details of these cases also show some
significant differences, for example only one had a high fever, and
the histopathology of the heart muscle specimens of the 2 cases on
which autopsies were performed show different findings. The
significance of these findings is currently unclear, but they may
point to different underlying causes.

On 15 Mar 2011, the Department of Disease Control has held a [video]
Conference with WHO Thailand and US CDC, Atlanta about the cases.
Specimens of blood, heart muscle, and urine available from some of the
deceased cases are being shipped for further testing in US CDC. Blood
and stool specimens from the 2 surviving cases in New Zealand
nationals are also being sent to Japan for further testing

Based on available scientific evidence so far and the absence of new
cases in travelers or local population despite vigilant surveillance,
threats to the general public remain low or minimal. The general
public and tourists in Chiang Mai are not recommended to take any
specific precautions, but should continue to observe general
preventive health measures as described in the previous update. Any
persons who may have specific medical or public heath concerns about
this event are invited to report them or make queries using the
following email address: <outbreak@health.moph.go.th>.

We wish to highlight that in the absence to date of any clearly
defined and specific threat to public health, and following specific
requests from grieving family members to show sensitivity and respect
confidentiality, information on some of the cases whose names have
already appeared in media reports is not being made public until a
preliminary investigation has been completed. Furthermore, detailed
personal information of cases will not be made available even after
completion of all enquiries.

--
Communicated by:
Rick Brown
<drribr@gmail.com>

[ProMED-mail thanks Rick Brown for drawing attention to this report
which provides additional information about the extent of the
investigation into this Chiang Mai incident.

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10714978

World Health doctors still puzzled by Thai hotel deaths
By Nicholas Jones 5:30 AM Saturday Mar 26, 2011 Share4 Email
Print

Expand The Anusran Night Market, Chiang Mai. Photo / Brett PhibbsThe World Health Organisation is still stumped over the cause of the string of "puzzling" deaths in Chiang Mai.

Dr Maureen Birmingham, the WHO representative in Thailand, said a number of laboratory tests - both inside and outside the kingdom - still needed to be done on the patients' bodies, food and environment to find out what killed them.

"As frustrating as it is, a single common link or cause has yet to be clearly identified, although many specimens are still undergoing analysis. All possibilities are being considered, including something infectious or toxic."

Dr Birmingham said she was confident an "exhaustive" investigation was being carried out and there was no clear evidence the cause of the deaths was within the Downtown Inn.

"We have no basis to challenge the decision of the local authorities to keep the hotel open."

Echovirus was detected on a swab in one case and coxsackie virus in an antibody test in another, but further tests were needed as antibodies in the blood could be related to an infection many years prior, she said.

If echovirus caused the deaths, infection probably occurred outside Chiang Mai because most people became sick within 24 hours of arriving in the city, and the virus normally took longer to incubate.

Wellington-based virologist Dr Sue Huang, head of the WHO polio virus reference laboratory, said echovirus and coxsackie virus belonged to the enterovirus group - its most famous member was polio.

Enteroviruses are spread through food, touching an infected person, using infected facilities such as swimming pools, or even touching objects such as door handles.

While they are most common in Third World countries, in 1999 six people in Wairarapa became ill with symptoms of myocarditis - the same heart inflammation that killed Sarah Carter.

Tests eventually identified the coxsackie B virus as the cause.

Dr Huang said most people who contracted an enterovirus showed no symptoms, with only about 10 per cent becoming ill with symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

"It's a really big spectrum, only a very, very small percentage will have a severe outcome like myocarditis."

Dr Robert Doughty, soon to take up the inaugural Heart Foundation chair in heart health at Auckland University, said that while myocarditis was normally caused by a viral infection, it could be very difficult to determine the cause.

That was sometimes done putting a cardiac biopsy under a microscope.

"Even then, identification of the virus in the heart muscle itself can be difficult and take a long time," Dr Doughty said.

While the irritation could be directly caused by the virus or infection, in most cases the cells the body produced to fight the infection actually damaged the heart they had been released to protect, he said.

The inflammation could cause problems with the heart pump function, which lead to breathlessness and heart failure. It could also cause sudden death when the heart suffered rhythm problems.

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/thailand/news/article.cfm?l_id=102&objectid=10714979&ref=rss

Tourist's dad set on finding truth
By Nicholas Jones 5:30 AM Saturday Mar 26, 2011 Share Email
Print

Expand Richard Carter remembers the 'marvellous personality' of his daughter Sarah. Photo / Dean PurcellSince his eldest child fell fatally ill while backpacking in Thailand, Richard Carter does not welcome idle time.

"The more you're busy with other things - it certainly helps. When it's a bit quieter, your thinking will revert to that," he says, tapping his pen faster and faster on the table.

"And it normally hits you in the morning. It's a bit like waking up to a nightmare and then suddenly realising that it's actually true."

It's emotion that melts into controlled determination when he explains why he believes the investigation into his daughter Sarah's death in Chiang Mai on February 6 has been deeply flawed.

For him, it is beyond coincidence that three others died after staying at the Downtown Inn, where Sarah, 23, and her two friends became sick.

Ms Carter died of myocarditis - acute heart inflammation - but tests are still being carried out in the United States and Japan to determine its cause.

Two other women have died in the city in similar circumstances, as well as a Canadian man who used the Downtown Inn's facilities.

Thai authorities have not been able to find any links between the deaths and the Downtown Inn, which is owned by the city's former mayor, remains open.

"I've heard nothing substantial came out of the investigation into the room. There was just a cursory sweep-through by the police and they okayed it," Mr Carter says.

"Having the ex-mayor as the owner of that building - when you're combining that with a known element of corruption in that country, then putting one and one together ..," he says.

Mr Carter would like a list compiled of all the deaths in the Downtown Inn over the past year "because I feel they weren't forthcoming with these other deaths, they were only uncovered through the media".

Thai authorities, under increasing international diplomatic and media scrutiny, have enlisted the World Health Organisation as well as the highly respected United States Centres for Disease Control to help determine what caused the deaths.

Thailand's Department of Disease Control, which has been involved in "active surveillance", said there had been no new cases of myocarditis or unexplained deaths since February 19.

Because deaths that occur outside of a hospital or in unexplained circumstances were the responsibility of the police, parallel forensic and public health investigations had been running.

"But the full integration of all such efforts is now in progress."

Mr Carter accepts that the laboratory testing is now in safe hands, but says statements from Thai officials made him question the thoroughness of other aspects of the investigation.

In a report to New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, subsequently passed on to Mr Carter, the Governor of Chiang Mai said conferences had been held to inform media that the four deaths at the Downtown Inn were "coincidence".

"That just reeks of cover-up, to say that. How could you possibly call that a coincidence when there were four people who died in adjoining rooms?"

He said that in another report Thai authorities claimed most of the family of the British couple found dead in the Downtown Inn were satisfied with an autopsy pointing towards heart failure/disease.

That was despite the couple's son Stephen Everitt telling the Herald the findings were unbelievable: "They want me to believe they both had heart attacks at the same time. It doesn't make sense."

But the final straw came when Mr Carter learned of two young women dying after staying in adjoining rooms in a hotel on Thailand's Koh Phi Phi in 2009.

Food poisoning was initially suspected but later ruled out and the cause of the deaths remains unknown despite relatives complaining about the investigation.

"When I discovered that spate in 2009 the thought crossed my mind that had it been properly investigated ... Sarah may still be with us.

"And that gives me a little bit of pain but it helps drive me to get an answer."

He says his family are pulling together to cope with the grief and appreciate the support from work and school colleagues.

"It's not that pleasant but we've got to carry on as best we can. It's not like we're the only ones in the world suffering from lost children or siblings ... it's nothing particular to us, that's for sure."

Before she left on her trip, Sarah compiled a thorough list of things her family wanted her to bring home as gifts.

When her mother and brother collected her possessions in Thailand they found the list with only about a third of the things crossed off.

"Anna and Ryan went around and just bought a number of things that were on that list that she didn't get to do," Mr Carter says, his voice cracking.

"Sorry. It's just talking about those more emotional things ... it's hard to do. Especially her personality. Because she was, she was just marvellous."

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/opinion/4815453/Thai-officials-need-to-do-better

The circumstances surrounding the death of New Zealander Sarah Carter in Chiang Mai is every parent's nightmare. Young and full of promise, Miss Carter headed off on holiday with two friends to Thailand. She became ill while staying at the Downtown Inn, and died a day later.

That nightmare has only been made worse by the initial response from Thailand. No plausible explanation has been provided for her death, and the Thais' initial response seemed aimed more at protecting the local tourism industry and the reputation of the hotel than at shedding any light on a death that was as perplexing as it was tragic.

Miss Carter's two friends, Emma Langlands and Amanda Eliason, also became sick. Altogether seven people appear to have died in Chiang Mai in similar circumstances, five of them with links to the Downtown Inn.

That should have triggered alarm bells in Thailand. It did not.

Instead Thai officials, including the Governor of Chiang Mai, Pannada Disakul, tried to play down the deaths. At a news conference, the governor said: "We have to admit that these deaths, coming one after another, are nothing more than coincidence."

He clearly had no reasonable basis for saying that, with investigations into what caused the deaths still under way. That is why it is hard to avoid assuming that his comments ? which echoed those of the hotel manager ? were designed more to reassure potential tourists than to throw any real light on what happened to Miss Carter and the others.

Certainly that is what the parents of the New Zealand women involved believe. Understandably, they fear there is a conspiracy of silence, and an attempt to whitewash what happened.

That cannot be allowed to happen. Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully has done the right thing so far in being as direct as he could be within the conventions of diplomatic language.

By publicly saying the early Thai explanations were "unconvincing" he was sending a signal that the New Zealand Government was taking an interest in the matter and that the Thais needed to do better.

The message was underlined by the advisory that the Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued, telling New Zealanders thinking of travelling to Chiang Mai that despite Thai assertions it is safe "in light of the lack of any clear explanation of the recent deaths, it is up to individual travellers themselves to determine the risks of travelling there".The message seems to have been heard. There are signs that information is flowing more easily as work continues to find out what caused the deaths, including laboratory tests overseas.

Ad Feedback It is now up to Mr McCully and his officials to maintain the pressure, and ensure the Thais understand the issue is not going to go away till a full ? and credible ? explanation is provided.

Those grieving Miss Carter's death deserve nothing less.

 

[Emily]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

I hope they get this mystery solved. There is a lot of interest in this issue judging by the number times this thread is being viewed.

 

[alert]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

A bit of new information here. The Frenchwoman died on January 4, making her the first death chronologically. This article claims that she used the facilities of the Downtown Inn as well (but that the American woman did not). Of note is that the date of death given here falls outside the window of the MOH report (it is earlier).

According to this article, 6 of the 7 fatalities would have had contact with that hotel.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Parents-seek...death/tabid/817/articleID/204597/Default.aspx

Parents seek answers in Thailand death
0 comments | Post Comment Email Print Text Size: aAaAaA


Sarah Carter's mother
Tue, 29 Mar 2011 7:00p.m.
It has been nearly two months since the death of Sarah Carter in Thailand and her parents are still searching for answers.

On February 2, Sarah Carter, Amanda Eliason and Emma Langlands flew in to Thailand on the final leg of their big OE.

They checked in at the Downtown Inn and shared a room - room 518.

On their first night a woman across the corridor in room 516 died in her bathroom

She was victim number four.

Victim number one was a French woman who died mysteriously on January 4. It is reported she used the Downtown Inn facilities.

A week later Soraya Pandola died. She did not stay or visit the Downtown Inn but her husband says her death was identical to Carters.

A fortnight on, Canadian tourist Bill Mah died. He had used the swimming pool at the Downtown Inn.

Sarah Carter was number five, she died on February 6.

Victims six and seven are Eileen and George Everitt. They died a week later and stayed in a room underneath Sarah Carter's room.

So what killed these people? Thai authorities say the deaths are not linked but five of the families involved say they are.

Campbell Live talks to Sarah Carters mother who travelled to Thailand to get answers.

 

[Emily]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/health/news/article_1630044.php/Bereaved-father-sets-up-Thailand-travel-warning-website

Bereaved father sets up Thailand travel-warning website

Apr 1, 2011, 2:56 GMT

Bangkok - The bereaved father of a New Zealand woman who died under mysterious circumstances in Thailand this year has set up a travel-warning website for tourists visiting the kingdom, media reports said Friday.

Richard Carter, father of Sarah Carter, 23, who died February 6 while travelling in Thailand, has set up ThailandTravelTragedies.com to compile data on other fatalities or serious illnesses tourists have contracted while visiting the country, the Bangkok Post said....

 

[Shiloh]

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Re: 23 Year old dies of myocarditis - 7 possible deaths

Source: http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/LocalNews/story.aspx?ID=1397531

City man's Thai death mystery continues
9am
Ed Mason
4/6/2011

The World Health Organization has failed to find a connection between the death of a city man in Thailand and half a dozen other sudden deaths in or near the same hotel.

Fifty nine year old Bill Mah from Edmonton was vacationing in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand when he complained of severe chest pains and died a day later last month. A heart attack was ruled out...