Thailand national dies in Coimbatore; tests negative for COVID 19

A 49-year-old Thailand national, who tested negative for COVID 19 on Monday, died at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) later in the day. According to the health department officials and the CMCH authorities, the Thai national died due to complications caused by diabetic nephropathy, sepsis and pulmonary oedema.

The deceased, identified as Donrosak Khamidoi from Songkhla in Thailand, had arrived in India on March 6. Along with a group of six others, Donrosak had arrived in New Delhi airport and travelled with the group to Chennai and then to Erode for sightseeing. He is said to have visited a mosque in Erode on March 7. Donrosak and the group went on sight seeing and were all set to board back to Thailand from the Coimbatore airport. As he developed high fever and symptoms of COVID 19 virus, he was picked up from the airport and admitted to the isolation ward in CMCH. 

His swab samples were obtained and sent to the Kings Institute at Guindy in Chennai immediately, which tested negative for COVID 19. Speaking to THE WEEK, Dr Ramesh Kumar, Deputy Director, Tamil Nadu health department, Coimbatore, said that Donrosak did not have any symptoms of cold or cough, but was running high temperature. “He was suffering from diabetes for a long time and he had diabetic foot ulcers and cellulitis, when admitted to the CMCH.” 

Kumar told THE WEEK that the Thai national had an open wound on his foot and was running high temperature. The man also underwent a dialysis as his kidneys were also failing, when admitted to CMCH. He was put to peritoneal dialysis as Sepsis caused renal failure. His wound samples were also taken and sent for biopsy on Monday. “But he died on Monday,” said Kumar. The health department has informed the Royal Thai consulate about his death.

Tamil Nadu government has already ordered shutting down of all schools, colleges, malls and cinema halls. The government has also set up a task force headed by Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam to monitor COVID 19 prevention measures. A government order was issued on Tuesday with a list of members in the team. The team will include officers from 17 departments including secretaries of various departments, Director General of Police, General Manager- Southern Railways, Chairman of Chennai Port Trust, Chennai Airport Director, Director of Medical Education, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and two public health experts. 

Meanwhile, a 68-year-old woman has tested positive for COVID 19 in Puducherry. She is the first to be tested positive in Puducherry. The woman who returned from Umrah in Saudi Arabia to Mahe a week ago developed high fever. Her samples were sent to the Kozhikode General Hospital and were tested positive for COVID 19. She is now admitted to the isolation ward in Mahe government hospital. Puducherry Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao said she is stable. Mahe, part of Puducherry, borders Kerala’s Kannur district.