Diarrhea outbreak comes to an end

THALANG: The recent outbreak of severe diarrhea in the Thalang area is over, Dr Boonriang Chuchaisangrat, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Health Office, has confirmed. All those affected have now gone home from hospital, and no new cases have been reported. The first case of severe diarrhea was reported on October 27 and was diagnosed as a strain known as Ogawa. Some 100 people – almost all Thais – were affected by the time the outbreak was contained. The outbreak was traced back to laborers doing construction work at a pig slaughterhouse near Thalang. From there it was transmitted to meat coming out of the abattoir.