Thread: Thailand: Unexplained Vomiting Deaths of Foreigners

As other thread was titled ..Food poisoning.." of one person and we are up to 6 (or is it seven deaths?) in Chiang mai as of March 19 2011
Allow new thread please, in news? Post verifiable linked news sources, please or personal experience.

Mostly young, attractive, foreign women.
Out of 16 listed cases, 13 are women.
Out of those 13, 12 are western, 10 are young and attractive. My theory is casual serial eyedrops- in -the -drink or water bottle poisoner possibly unaware of dire effects.
I might even buy my own water for use in the room if visiting that area.

LIST

Chiang Mai; Jan- current, 2011--- 9 illnesses- 8 women, 1 man. 6 deaths 5 women, 1 man .

Phuket; May 15, 2009 - 2 deaths ; German man and ( same time frame )
unrelated Iranian woman, Phuket, known to have visited Phi -Phi day prior.

Phi-Phi, May 1- 2, 2009 - 4 illnesses , 3 women 1 man.
2 deaths, women.

Ko Samet; early Jan, 2005 - 1 illness recovered, woman
( OK, maybe not so young but incredibly attractive. )

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CDC Bulletin on Heart Inflammation ( Note virus is not subject of bulletin. Unusual heart condition is. )



http://pr.ddc.moph.go.th/pnews/showimgdetil.php?id=243

"Common features of the illness among these patients include vomiting without diarrhea and lack of respiratory symptoms..."

Disease Outbreak News

Myocarditis cases in Chiangmai – update 1 (11 March 2011)

On 9 February, the Department of Disease Control was requested by the Chiangmai Provincial Health Office to assist in an investigation into myocarditis cases. The joint investigation team 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 2011.

All were young women aged 23-33 years and were from the United States (1), Canada (1), France (2) and New Zealand (3).


Of these six patients three died (one each from the USA, France and New Zealand). Five of them became ill while visiting Chiang Mai and one developed symptoms three days before arriving there.

Common features of the illness among these patients include vomiting without diarrhea and lack of respiratory symptoms. One patient had a fever but all others were afebrile. [did not.]
Extensive epidemiological investigation has not revealed any common exposures across the three groups. Laboratory testing of blood and stools to date has not revealed anything except for evidence of infection by an echovirus in one patient and by a Coxsackie virus in another patient from New Zealand. Autopsies on two of the dead patients (American and French) were done by forensic medical expert of Chiang Mai University. The autopsies found nothing abnormal except for inflammation of the heart muscle. The Department of Disease Control has shared this information with the WHO and US CDC offices in Bangkok, as well as the New Zealand Embassy and the International Health Regulation (IHR) focal points of France and the European Community.


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


Myocarditis is a well known illness that may result from many possible etiologies such as viral infection, bacterial infection and toxins and can be found everywhere from time to time. However, four cases among young healthy adults in the same location is rare. The Department of Disease Control will continue its intensive investigation and collaborate with the WHO, IHR authorities and embassy contact persons of the USA, France and New Zealand to determine the causes of myocarditis in all these cases, which may be of the same or of different etiologies.
While the causes of the illnesses remain unknown at this time, travelers are recommended to take general preventive health measures that include eating only hot food, drinking clean water and taking enough rest and exercise. Those
who experience severe sudden multiple vomiting with or without diarrhea, should seek medical attention immediately.

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I would add watch your beverage and maybe even buy your own water .