Coronavirus (Covid-19)
12 months ago a number of “mysterious” respiratory cases came to the notice of a Chinese doctor

A year ago nothing much was known about the coronavirus that has now decimated the world’s economy and killed 1,764,697 people (as of Saturday morning, December 27, 2020 Thai Time). Exactly 12 months later there are now 80,720,204 positive infections registered around the world. On December 27, 2019, there was little known about the mysterious new coronavirus. How infectious was it? What was the incubation period? What was its fatality rate? Was it a strain of the flu or another coronavirus?
Zhang Jixian, the Director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care at the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine in Wuhan, had been working as medical expert during the SARS outbreak in 2003, and was aware of the possible signs of a suspected outbreak of an infectious disease in the Chinese province. A number of cases came to her notice on December 27, 2019. She recalled how the novel coronavirus, an alien pathogen, emerged from a seemingly ordinary case of an elderly couple in late December.
The couple, with fever and coughs, sought treatment at the hospital. Zhang Jixian examined the older couple and made the preliminary diagnosis saying it “looked like flu or common pneumonia”.
After having observed the elderly couple’s CT scans were abnormal, Zhang Jixian also asked the couple’s son to undergo a scan. He found the same issues were apparent.
Another patient, a merchant from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, arrived at the hospital with fever and cough on the same day. Again, his CT scan showed the same characteristics. Multiple blood tests from the 4 patients indicated viral infection. More influenza-related tests all came back negative.
Zhang Jixian filed a report to the executives of the hospital and also took the precaution of making a provisional quarantine area.
On the same day the Wuhan Central Hospital heard from Vision Medicals that the BAL (Bronchoalveolar Lavage) sample taken on 24 December from an unresolved clinical case which sparked off the first scientific involvement. The tests confirmed that the sample contained a new kind of coronavirus. The patient was then quarantined.
Also at Wuhan Central Hospital, yet another unresolved case caused a BAL sample to be taken, this time sent off to CapitalBio Medlab of Beijing. 3 similar cases would arrive at the Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine on this day, all associated with the seafood market.
Dr. Zhang Jixian’s discovery was later widely praised in China and by world epidemiologists for her insight into the possibility of a new viral strain. Hubei Province’s government honoured her as well as Zhang Dingyu, the president of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, for their contribution to help control the viral outbreak. She is acknowledged as a pivotal expert in the very early days of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, respiratory samples from a man hospitalised in Paris, France were also retrospectively diagnosed as having the new coronavirus present. He had presented with advanced symptoms (chest CT of ground glass opacities) and his child had previously presented with influenza-like illness.
Although his last travel outside of France had been to Algeria in August 2019, the man had not traveled recently. But his wife worked near an airport. The full epidemiological circumstances remain uninvestigated and theFrench cases can’t be fully verified.
SOURCE: Wikipedia
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Thailand
Government in control of Mor Chana app, says user data will be kept private

The Thai government is taking full control of the Mor Chana application, which is used to trace Covid-19 infections and alert users if they are in a high risk area. The Digital Economy and Society Minister says the government will still be working closely with the app developers, adding that users can be assured that their data will be kept private.
The Mor Chana Volunteer Team, the app developer, made a post on their Facebook page saying the Mor Chana contact tracing application will be 100% under government management and control from now. The team will be responsible only for the open source programme development. The post has prompted public comments about the reason behind the application handover to the government.
Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta says the government will take full responsibility for the application management and control measures, but the collaboration with the app developers will continue. The developer team’s announcement is just to inform the public about the app.
He also says some app functions will be redesigned and adjusted to be more friendly to use and won’t violate users’ data privacy. Personal information such as users’ names and mobile numbers for registration won’t be required anymore.
SOURCE: Post Today
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Visitors to Phuket from “highest risk” areas must show Covid-19 test results

People arriving Phuket from the “highest risk” areas are required to take a swab test by the staff at emergency operation centres (EOC) or show the test result document endorsed by the EOC staff made within 72 hours of their arrival. The revised order is effective from now until January 31, according to the Phuket Governor.
Those people who are on a brief business trip to Phuket need to show certificates from their employers describing the reason and necessity of their trips. If they want to leave their accommodations, they have to make a request to the EOC and clearly explain the reason as well as the time and destination. Visitors are also asked to avoid going to the community areas to avoid crowded gatherings.
It is noted that the revised order by the governor has not been officially promoted by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department. However, all visitors are still asked to register online via the Mor Chana contact tracing application and via www.gophuget.com according to the order re-issued on Friday.
SOURCE: Phuket News
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Thailand
High demand for health insurance due to Covid-19 worries, premiums expected to rise

With the increasing demands for health insurance due to people’s worries over Covid-19, health insurance premiums are expected to grow 1.59% this year, according to the Insurance Commission.
Commission secretary-general Suthipol Taweechaikarn says total premiums will see 101 billion baht revenues this year, an increase from 99 billion baht last year. He adds that the Covid-19 situation is a major factor in higher demand for health insurance policies as medical expenses are likely to increase every year.
Some insurance companies in Thailand have also found an increasing demand for health coverage policies among their customers, especially those with high purchasing power.
Deputy CEO of Tokio Marine Life Insurance Thailand says the company will offer annual premiums starting at 15,000 baht.
“The company aims to increase health insurance premiums to 50% this year from 40% last year.”
Cigna Insurance CEO says the company will use digital technology for product and service development to meet customers’ demands in the new normal lifestyle.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Mister Stretch
Sunday, December 27, 2020 at 6:37 pm
Gotta be honest…just copying from Wikipedia is a sad act of journalism.
It’s entirely Thai, though. A majority of “research” papers and essays I’ve found, in the country, often have entire passages copied, verbatim, from Wikipedia.
That’s what passes for research here.
I hope that isn’t going to pass for journalism here, as well.
Leo Z
Monday, December 28, 2020 at 12:14 am
And what did the Chinese government do? Suppress reports, cover up information, punish doctors coming forward, and deny human-to-human transmission (the crux of the whole issue) till January 21, after witnessing scores of doctors and nurses getting infected for weeks.
They also allowed anyone from Hubei to travel to the rest of China, and then to the rest of the world, while there were ZERO measures against the virus, but criticized the US for banning temporarily travelers from China. Something that they would turn around and do themselves for the rest of the world since the end of March.
Does the Wikipedia page state the above?
China surely gave us in 2020 the “gift” that keeps on giving. Let’s try to appreciate that and make sure that everything we use is a Chinese brand….not.
Alte Ledertasche
Monday, December 28, 2020 at 3:12 pm
You are a lunatic and denying the truth. Covid 19 was found in samples dated September 2019 in Italy already. Thd source is available online.
Ian
Monday, December 28, 2020 at 7:13 am
Totally agree Leo some people seem to forget China started this all saga get Thailand buddy’s upto them China should be the leppars of the world but money talks and when I say leppars I mean the administration not the people who are and have suffered like the world is now surely China’s government must get payback for this
Suua
Monday, December 28, 2020 at 8:20 am
Thank you Leo, this is something that needs to be highlighted on a regular basis.
Something akin to the nazis treatment of jewish people……it should never be forgotten, be constantly reminded, so people don’t forget the atrocities.
I like you, am constantly aware of avoiding chinese products, and will never buy anything from the vile, evil, criminal CCP again.
In fact today, I will buy a new kitchen tap, but will ensure it is made in another country no matter the cost differential.