An elderly woman who spent days suffering from Covid-19 at home apparently without medical help has died, local media reported on Friday, a day after a video of her pleas went viral.
She was among three older women filmed in a clip posted on TikTok Thursday, saying they had been “waiting for days” at home without food or help.
The video went viral amid increasing concern over a shortage of hospital beds around the country, and with the government calling for patience as many severe cases are being asked to wait at home for a bed to come available.
In the video, the women are shown in their home in Bangkok, asking the public and government for assistance with their Covid symptoms. The video was shared across social media and local news agencies.
News reports on Friday said that the women received medical help shortly after the video was filmed, but that one of patients, the woman seen lying on a bed in the video, had succumbed to the illness.
Thailand reported a record number of coronavirus daily cases on Friday, with hospitals around the country facing a shortage of beds and ambulances. Currently, there are 1,423 infected patients waiting at home for hospital beds to become available nearby.
There are only 1,000 beds available nationwide, set to run out in coming weeks at recent rates of infection.
The death of the elderly woman sent shockwaves and sympathy throughout the internet, raising concerns over whether the latest coronavirus wave is getting more out of hand.
“I want to ask the policy-makers here, what are you guys going to do now?” Drama-Addict, a famous Thai cultural page on Facebook, shared to its 2.5 million followers. “If you still can’t fix this, we will see more people dying at home like downpour.”
The page’s administrators have created a thread for patients to share information while waiting for assistance at home, while the government scrambles to control the outbreak.
Elderly woman dies of Covid after being filmed pleading for help at home - Thai Enquirer