Thailand’s Records its Second Omicron Related Death

An 84-year-old unvaccinated woman with terminal lung cancer has died from Omicron in Thailand, the second death related to the disease.

According to Dr Apisamai Srirangson, spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the woman died on Saturday in northeastern Thailand’s Udon Thani province.

Initially, her son tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. On Jan 9, her family decided to have her tested for the disease even though she showed no symptoms, and the test turned out to be positive.

According to Dr Apisamai, the old woman and her family insisted on receiving treatment in home isolation.

Two days later she still had no fever and her blood oxygen levels were satisfactory according to Dr Apisamai.

Dr Apisamai said on the fifth day the elderly woman had no appetite and her blood oxygen level dropped, however, she still had no fever.

The next day she was fatigued, had difficulty breathing and her blood oxygen level dropped dramatically.

Although health officials recommended her hospitalization, relatives refused to admit her and denied the use of a ventilator. She died on Saturday, Dr Apisamai reported.

Thailand’s first Omicron death

The first death linked to Omicron was also an elderly woman, an 86-year-old in tambon Klong Hae in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district, the spokeswoman said. The woman was bedridden and had Alzheimer’s disease, and she died on Wednesday.

On the 6th of January, she developed a fever and excessive phlegm. Her daughter was infected with Covid-19, and her grandson who had just returned from Phuket had also been in contact with her.

On Jan. 7, relatives took her to Hat Yai Hospital after her antigen test was positive. Her infection was confirmed at the hospital.

As a result of a high fever, problems breathing, lung inflammation, and fluid in her lungs, her condition deteriorated quickly.

Both fatalities were elderly and suffered from chronic diseases, according to Dr Apisamai. It’s been more than four months since the Songkhla woman received her second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

In a second, recent death involving Omicron, neither victim had been vaccinated.

Both Omicron deaths were bed-ridden elders that had been in close contact with at-risk relatives, the doctor said.

The doctor also recommended that those in households with old people follow distancing practices, wear face masks, separate personal belongings, and use separate toilets to protect themselves from infections.

Source: Bangkok Post