Outbreak unlikely after death of Cambodian woman

The woman died on March 4 after she was admitted into Bhudda-Sothorn Hospital in Muang district with meningococcal-liked symptoms. The lab test results affirmed that she had the meningococcal bacteria type B – which used to be the strain found most in Thailand. The woman’s death had not yet been regarded as an outbreak so the public was told not to panic. 

 Bhudda-Sothorn Hospital director Dr Weerasak Anutara-angkun said the fact that the woman worked at a local restaurant didn’t mean she had spread the illness because this bacteria dies within five minutes. So, the disease cannot spread so easily except in the case of close exposure to the patient’s bodily liquid. He said this particular germ could be found in normal bodied people but does not cause illness if the persons’ immune system is normal. 

“The disease’s incubation period was about two days or up to 10 days. If there was an outbreak, we would have heard about a new patient by now, almost 10 days later, hence we believe there is no outbreak in Chachoengsao,” he added.