Speaking at the daily update press conference at “Emergency Operation Center” (EOC) at the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), Vice Governor Pichet explained that officials were still checking passengers on international and domestic flights arriving and departing Phuket International Airport, and continuing their awareness campaign to inform the public about the virus.
“Phuket’s Public Health doctors confirm that at this time there is still no new strain of the coronavirus in Phuket,” Vice Governor Pichet said.
SILENT TREATMENT
Today marked one week since any of the “daily update” meetings provided any information about the virus situation in Phuket. Instead, the daily reports have repeated the efforts by officials to prevent the virus from spreading if it arrives at all.
At last report, on Jan 30, Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol confirmed that three more tourists in Phuket were suspected of carrying the Wuhan coronavirus and were now in isolation at Vachira Phuket Hospital.
The new cases brought to 23 the total number of people held in isolation in Phuket on suspicion that they may be infected with the virus since officials started screening tourists on Jan 5, Dr Chalermpong said.
Of the 23 patients under investigation, 13 had been already discharged from hospital, with the remaining 10 still in hospital care: six at Vachira Phuket Hospital, one at Patong Hospital, one at Thalang Hospital and two in care at one private hospital, Dr Chalermpong explained. (See story here.)
Since then, however, no reports by officials have clarified when the remaining 10 were discharged from hospital care, or if they still remain under observation, or if any new suspected cases have been identified in Phuket – despite national Department of Disease Control Deputy Chief Dr Preecha Prempree in Phuket on Jan 27 ordering every provincial public relations offices in the country to provide daily updates on the virus situation in their respective provinces. (See story here.)
Both PPHO Chief Thanit Sermkaew and Busaya Jaipiam, Chief of the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department, today told The Phuket News that they were not authorised to give any such updates on the state of new cases or patients’ well-being in Phuket.
“We must follow the reports from the Ministry of Public Health only,” Ms Busaya said.
Chief Thanit independently explained the same restrictions. “It was an order from the Ministry of Public Health, and we must follow the reports posted on the Ministry of Public Health website or call the Department of Disease Control hotline 1422,” he said.
The staffer who answered the Department of Disease Control hotline (1422) told The Phuket News that she also was unable to provide any information.
“The information must be provided by the executives, and you must follow the reports on the website,” the hotline operator said.
“In addition, I can’t give any contact numbers to anyone,” she added.
The Public Relations division of the Department of Disease Control told The Phuket News to send questions by email. They will present those questions to management and contact us back, they said.
CAMPAIGN AFOOT
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Pichet today repeated that officials were continuing their campaign to educate the public about the virus.
“This is so the public knows how to protect themselves and their family members correctly,” he said.
Public health officers are to hold lectures to teach transport operators, drivers, service staff, and hotel association representatives and anyone else who work closely with tourists about the how to protect themselves from contracting the coronavirus.
“The Phuket Provincial Education Office will hold training sessions to provide knowledge on prevention measures to students and the public to give these groups the knowledge to take care of themselves in the right manner to prevent catching or spreading the disease,” he said.
“Public awareness signs will be installed at all piers, the airport, service centres, shopping centres and other establishments to educate guests, and hand-washing gel will be available in many places to build confidence and a good image of Phuket so that people know we are coping with the situation,” he added.
At the close of the meeting, Vice Govenor Pichet handed over face masks and hand sanitiser donated by Kiatisak Panrangsri, the president of Phuket Community Pharmacist Club, to the PPHO to distribute to the public.