Governor Phakaphong on Wednesday (Jan 29) urged people to be wary of fake news and reports that do not confirm their sources.
“Fake news has been shared on social media, making people worried and damaging Phuket’s tourism image. Please check before believing it, reduce the panic,” he said.
Among the reports going viral this week was a post claiming that a foreign woman at the airport had died of the Wuhan coronavirus. The post, uploaded onto Facebook by “Konnika Jampaburee” on Monday (Jan 27), showed a photo of a person covered with a white sheet being wheeled out of the airport and loaded into an ambulance.
Along with the photo were the words in Thai, “One death at Phuket International Airport #Chinese”.
Dr Sutsinee Sakswut, the airport doctor on duty on Monday, confirmed to The Phuket News on Wednesday that nobody had died from the “Wuhan flu” at the airport. “The post is wrong,” she said.
A female tourist had suffered a “mini stroke” in the Arrival Hall at the International Terminal and had been taken to Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Dr Sutsinee explained, adding that the tourist was discharged from the hospital care on Tuesday (Jan 28).
Another example cited this week was a post claiming that Chinese tourists from Wuhan were not allowed on board a flight home last Friday (Jan 24) because a 4-year-old girl travelling with the group had contracted the “Wuhan flu”.
“A secretions sample from the girl’s nose was sent to the Health Control Division in Bangkok to test for the virus,” Phuket Provincial Health Office (PPHO) Deputy Chief Dr Krit Sakulpat told The Phuket News.
“The test confirmed that she was not infected with the Wuhan coronavirus, The girl’s condition is improving. It is just the flu. She left Vachira Phuket Hospital on Monday,” he said.
Phuket Governor Phakaphong assured, “We are working on measures to control and prevent the Wuhan virus from spreading here. We have set up an ‘Emergency Operations Center’ to follow up on the situation and updates are given through press briefings every day.
“So everyone should check any information first before sharing it [online]. Anyone who finds fake news reports, please inform the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (Phuket PR) or relevant officers so they can check it out,” he said.
As a more ominous warning, a report posted by the Phuket PR office late Wednesday highlighted that posting or sharing fake news online was illegal under the Computer Crimes Act.
“If anyone sees fake news on social media, please send an image and details to the Phuket PR Dept Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/prphuket2018/,” the report noted.
Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Chalermpong Sukontapol on Wednesday confirmed that since screening of tourist arrivals from Wuhan began on Jan 5, only 20 people had been taken under observation on suspicion that they may be infected with the virus.
“So far, none of them have been confirmed as infected with the virus,” he noted, reconfirming the report delivered by PPHO Chief Thanit Sermkaew on Tuesday.
Thirteen of those suspected of being infected have since been released from hospital care, but seven people currently remain under observation, Dr Chalermpong added.
Three of those still in isolation and under observation are at Vachira Phuket Hospital, one is at Patong Hospital, another is at Thalang Hospital and two remain in care at private hospitals, he said.
Dr Thanit explained on Tuesday, “They are still recovering. All are in isolated areas under observation and receiving treatment for flu symptoms. They are still waiting for their blood tests. All seven people are in stable condition. They can breathe normally, with no need for a respirator.”
Dr Chalermpong noted that while preliminary tests for the virus can be conducted by health officials in Phuket, absolute confirmation had to come by tests conducted by Department of Medical Sciences experts at the Ministry of Public Health Bamrasnaradura Institute or the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, both in Bangkok.
So far medical teams at Phuket airport have screened 5,733 passengers and 122 pilots and cabin crew arriving on 44 direct inbound flights from Wuhan and Guangzhou since Jan 5, Dr Chalermpong added.
Meanwhile, Governor Phakaphong assured, “Phuket is safe. Officials are keeping track of all tourists arriving from China during their stay on the island. Officers are collecting information, such as where the tourists are staying and how they will leave the country. The information is being to prevent Wuhan flu from spreading,” he said.
“We have also informed hotels that if any of their guests become ill with a high temperature, to please contact the PPHO or nearest government hospital so the guest can be examined and be taken care of by doctors,” he added.
Expanding the countermeasures on Wednesday, health officials were deployed to Patong to check any of the 1,200-odd passengers from the Genting Dream cruise liner for possible infection as they arrived on shore.
Joining the screening was Patong Mayor Chalermluk Kebsup and a host of officials. No passengers were reported as possibly infected as the welcome team checked for elevated body temperatures and handed out face masks.
A report by the Phuket PR office noted that an estimated 4,000 tourists were to arrive on cruise liners in the following few days.