Has anybody come across this before?
....................................................................
'Toxic seaweed' kills NZ woman in Thailand
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/820799 ... n-thailand
A New Zealand woman on holiday in Thailand has died and her two friends are seriously ill after contracting what is thought to be food poisoning.
Sarah Katherine Carter, 23, died at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, in northern Thailand, on Sunday morning from a food-related illness, according to an online memorial website.
Carter died from eating toxic seaweed, after she and her two friends became ill after eating at a food market in Chiang Mai on Friday, news website stuff.co.nz reported on Tuesday.
An NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman said Carter's two female friends were being treated in hospital.
One, Amanda Eliason, 24, was in intensive care recovering from emergency heart surgery, Radio New Zealand reported.
Carter's devastated father told stuff.co.nz the hospital had called when his daughter was admitted and he had talked to her.
"It appeared to be just bad food poisoning. She appeared withdrawn and not sounding that good, but seemed all right. But within an hour of our conversation the thing just spread to her heart and strangled her heart."
His wife was in transit at Bangkok Airport when his daughter died, and he had to call her with the awful news.
The New Zealand embassy in Bangkok was in contact with the families of the trio.
Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
No, never heard of it. My little daughter is addicted to seaweed, but is only given products that are packaged as dry, thin sheet style. The above sounds like they were eating loose seaweed from some food stall. What else were they sampling is an important question. Pete 
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Do a Google on 'poison seaweed' and you don't find much. This story and one from 2009 about a British truck driver who may have died from fumes from rotting seaweed he was hauling away from a beach. I think this may be a case of wet seaweed vs the dried type and if wet, any number of bacteria could have caused the problem, including e.coli. Nothing in the Thai papers about this so I doubt we're going to see any further explanations or autopsy results. Pete
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Chiang Mai fears food poisoning scare
NZ woman dies after eating toxic seaweed
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... ning-scare
Chiang Mai health authorities are launching a full-scale investigation of food outlets across the northern province after a young New Zealand woman died from a viral infection believed to have come from eating toxic seaweed.
Sarah Katherine Carter, 23, died early on Sunday morning at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital. A friend, Amanda Eliason, 24, who also ate the seaweed underwent emergency heart surgery and is now believed to be out of danger.
A third New Zealand woman in their group, Emma Langlands, 23, who ordered a different meal from a stall in a food market at Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar, suffered food poisoning but is not seriously ill.
"We have never had such a case in Chiang Mai before," Chiang Mai public health chief Wattana Kanchanakamol said yesterday.
He said a preliminary report into the death of Carter indicated a viral infection.
Dr Wattana said epidemiologists were ordered to track down the cause of the infection by collecting food samples from the Night Bazaar food market where it is thought the women last ate.
"The examination result is expected to be known in the next five days," he said.
Dr Wattana said one factor in the case could be the fluctuating weather conditions in Chiang Mai, which could result in food deteriorating more rapidly than expected.
Health officials were being sent to other tourist attractions around Chiang Mai to carry out food hygiene tests.
Carter's devastated father Richard told the website stuff.co.nz the hospital had called when his daughter was admitted and he had talked to her.
"It appeared to be just bad food poisoning. She appeared withdrawn and not sounding that good, but seemed all right. But within an hour of our conversation the thing just spread to her heart and strangled her heart."
At that stage his wife was in transit at Suvarnabhumi airport and he had to call her with the news.
Richard Carter told a news channel his daughter had the world at her feet and wanted to start an overseas trip in Thailand after having just graduated from university.
"[Sarah] touched the hearts of all the people that she came in contact with, a truly remarkable girl. We were just so proud of her achievements," he said.
Sarah called her parents the night she fell ill to reassure them she was okay. But within an hour of that call, a toxin spread rapidly to her heart and killed her shortly afterwards.
Sarah studied chemistry at Victoria University in Wellington and had been working at Wellington accounting firm BDO Spicers for the past year.
Her friend, Amanda Eliason, from Kaponga in the province of Taranaki, underwent emergency surgery on Saturday when the toxin attacked her heart.
Her parents, Peter and Kay, flew to Thailand on Monday."The balloon pump that was attached to her heart has now been removed and the cardiologist is now happy that she has no permanent damage to her heart," Kay Eliason said.
"We have our daughters, so we're the lucky ones really," she said.
NZ woman dies after eating toxic seaweed
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... ning-scare
Chiang Mai health authorities are launching a full-scale investigation of food outlets across the northern province after a young New Zealand woman died from a viral infection believed to have come from eating toxic seaweed.
Sarah Katherine Carter, 23, died early on Sunday morning at Chiang Mai Ram Hospital. A friend, Amanda Eliason, 24, who also ate the seaweed underwent emergency heart surgery and is now believed to be out of danger.
A third New Zealand woman in their group, Emma Langlands, 23, who ordered a different meal from a stall in a food market at Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar, suffered food poisoning but is not seriously ill.
"We have never had such a case in Chiang Mai before," Chiang Mai public health chief Wattana Kanchanakamol said yesterday.
He said a preliminary report into the death of Carter indicated a viral infection.
Dr Wattana said epidemiologists were ordered to track down the cause of the infection by collecting food samples from the Night Bazaar food market where it is thought the women last ate.
"The examination result is expected to be known in the next five days," he said.
Dr Wattana said one factor in the case could be the fluctuating weather conditions in Chiang Mai, which could result in food deteriorating more rapidly than expected.
Health officials were being sent to other tourist attractions around Chiang Mai to carry out food hygiene tests.
Carter's devastated father Richard told the website stuff.co.nz the hospital had called when his daughter was admitted and he had talked to her.
"It appeared to be just bad food poisoning. She appeared withdrawn and not sounding that good, but seemed all right. But within an hour of our conversation the thing just spread to her heart and strangled her heart."
At that stage his wife was in transit at Suvarnabhumi airport and he had to call her with the news.
Richard Carter told a news channel his daughter had the world at her feet and wanted to start an overseas trip in Thailand after having just graduated from university.
"[Sarah] touched the hearts of all the people that she came in contact with, a truly remarkable girl. We were just so proud of her achievements," he said.
Sarah called her parents the night she fell ill to reassure them she was okay. But within an hour of that call, a toxin spread rapidly to her heart and killed her shortly afterwards.
Sarah studied chemistry at Victoria University in Wellington and had been working at Wellington accounting firm BDO Spicers for the past year.
Her friend, Amanda Eliason, from Kaponga in the province of Taranaki, underwent emergency surgery on Saturday when the toxin attacked her heart.
Her parents, Peter and Kay, flew to Thailand on Monday."The balloon pump that was attached to her heart has now been removed and the cardiologist is now happy that she has no permanent damage to her heart," Kay Eliason said.
"We have our daughters, so we're the lucky ones really," she said.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Read an article today that said that the problem could have arisen by the fish she ate eating the toxin seaweed and the toxin in the seaweed not killing the fish but staying in the body of the fish, therefore when you eat the poison fish that is when the poison attacks you.
Some of the things were explained in here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciguatera
Ciguatera is what one of the BKK doctors put up as a possibility. Still is very sad thing to happen.
Some of the things were explained in here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciguatera
Ciguatera is what one of the BKK doctors put up as a possibility. Still is very sad thing to happen.
Always Borrow Money from a Pesimist. "They Never Expect it Back"
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Toxic death theory 'carries little weight'
We have at least three threads going about the same subject:
-Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand (in News)
-Lincolnshire couple die mysteriously in Chiang Mai (in News)
-BED BUG spray (in Health)
Going forward I think best to consolidate update information here to avoid confusion and duplicated posts, except for bed bug remedies which should continue on the Bed Bug Spray thread.
Pete
Toxic death theory 'carries little weight'
Confusion still shrouds mystery of dead tourists
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... tle-weight
Published: 11/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
Thai experts are unconvinced by an independent investigation which suggested that a 23-year-old New Zealand tourist died from excessive exposure to a lethal toxin used to kill bedbugs at a Chiang Mai hotel.
A toxic substances expert from the Public Health Ministry and the Department of Agriculture said they did not think chlorpyrifos - which is used in insecticide sprays - was the cause of the death of Sarah Carter.
Although the experts confirmed Thailand has not banned the substance, approval is needed before it is imported or exported.
Carter died on Feb 6, and her friends Emma Langlands and Amanda Eliason became gravely ill while they were on holiday in the Downtown Inn Hotel in Chiang Mai.
Five people died from unexplained causes in Chiang Mai over a 16-day period after New Year. Four stayed at the Downtown Inn Hotel.
The mystery over Carter's death resurfaced recently after an investigation commissioned by the New Zealand TV show 60 minutes found traces of the potentially lethal toxin in the Downtown Inn where the tourists stayed.
UN scientist Ron McDowall said there was a strong likelihood Carter died from excessive exposure to the substance.
The other four who died after staying at the hotel experienced identical symptoms to those suffered by Carter.
Chiang Mai Public Health Office deputy chief Surasing Visaruthrat told the Bangkok Post that although the authorities had not yet ruled out all possible causes of the deaths, the bedbug insecticide assumption "carries little weight".
Thorough checks conducted by the doctors when the three tourists were admitted to the hospital found no traces of insecticides, he said.
An autopsy performed by Maharaj Hospital also found no toxic substance residue. The doctors suspected Carter died from food poisoning, according to a Chiang Mai police report.
"We can't jump to a conclusion that toxin exposure was the cause of the death because the substance was allegedly found in the hotel room alone, not in the victim's body," Dr Surasing said.
Dr Surasing yesterday chaired a meeting of the investigation team. The meeting, attended by doctors and experts from various agencies, ended with no conclusion on the deaths.
Dr Surasing said the team would meet again after receiving test results of samples collected from the victims' bodies. The samples were sent for testing at laboratories in the United States and Japan.
Meanwhile, an official from the Department of Agriculture said Thailand did not ban chlorpyrifos, which is also used as an ingredient in insecticides for use on farms.
"It is hard to believe that a bedbug spray containing chlorpyrifos would be able to kill people unless a large amount of the chemical got into the body," said the official, who asked not to be named.
The official said chlorpyrifos is easily dissipated in the air, which means it causes no ill effects to the environment.
Industrial Work Department's hazardous substances control bureau director Mongkol Pruekwatana said chlorpyrifos is a hazardous substance Type 3 under the hazardous substance act, which requires approval for manufacturing, importing and exporting."The company that used the substance for pest control services might have imported it as powder, mixed it with water and used it to spray termites, resulting in leftover residue on beds," Mr Mongkol said.
-Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand (in News)
-Lincolnshire couple die mysteriously in Chiang Mai (in News)
-BED BUG spray (in Health)
Going forward I think best to consolidate update information here to avoid confusion and duplicated posts, except for bed bug remedies which should continue on the Bed Bug Spray thread.
Pete Toxic death theory 'carries little weight'
Confusion still shrouds mystery of dead tourists
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... tle-weight
Published: 11/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
Thai experts are unconvinced by an independent investigation which suggested that a 23-year-old New Zealand tourist died from excessive exposure to a lethal toxin used to kill bedbugs at a Chiang Mai hotel.
A toxic substances expert from the Public Health Ministry and the Department of Agriculture said they did not think chlorpyrifos - which is used in insecticide sprays - was the cause of the death of Sarah Carter.
Although the experts confirmed Thailand has not banned the substance, approval is needed before it is imported or exported.
Carter died on Feb 6, and her friends Emma Langlands and Amanda Eliason became gravely ill while they were on holiday in the Downtown Inn Hotel in Chiang Mai.
Five people died from unexplained causes in Chiang Mai over a 16-day period after New Year. Four stayed at the Downtown Inn Hotel.
The mystery over Carter's death resurfaced recently after an investigation commissioned by the New Zealand TV show 60 minutes found traces of the potentially lethal toxin in the Downtown Inn where the tourists stayed.
UN scientist Ron McDowall said there was a strong likelihood Carter died from excessive exposure to the substance.
The other four who died after staying at the hotel experienced identical symptoms to those suffered by Carter.
Chiang Mai Public Health Office deputy chief Surasing Visaruthrat told the Bangkok Post that although the authorities had not yet ruled out all possible causes of the deaths, the bedbug insecticide assumption "carries little weight".
Thorough checks conducted by the doctors when the three tourists were admitted to the hospital found no traces of insecticides, he said.
An autopsy performed by Maharaj Hospital also found no toxic substance residue. The doctors suspected Carter died from food poisoning, according to a Chiang Mai police report.
"We can't jump to a conclusion that toxin exposure was the cause of the death because the substance was allegedly found in the hotel room alone, not in the victim's body," Dr Surasing said.
Dr Surasing yesterday chaired a meeting of the investigation team. The meeting, attended by doctors and experts from various agencies, ended with no conclusion on the deaths.
Dr Surasing said the team would meet again after receiving test results of samples collected from the victims' bodies. The samples were sent for testing at laboratories in the United States and Japan.
Meanwhile, an official from the Department of Agriculture said Thailand did not ban chlorpyrifos, which is also used as an ingredient in insecticides for use on farms.
"It is hard to believe that a bedbug spray containing chlorpyrifos would be able to kill people unless a large amount of the chemical got into the body," said the official, who asked not to be named.
The official said chlorpyrifos is easily dissipated in the air, which means it causes no ill effects to the environment.
Industrial Work Department's hazardous substances control bureau director Mongkol Pruekwatana said chlorpyrifos is a hazardous substance Type 3 under the hazardous substance act, which requires approval for manufacturing, importing and exporting."The company that used the substance for pest control services might have imported it as powder, mixed it with water and used it to spray termites, resulting in leftover residue on beds," Mr Mongkol said.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Well, obviously it couldn't have been that then now, could it?Although the experts confirmed Thailand has not banned the substance, approval is needed before it is imported or exported.
They do talk some bollox, like everyone obeys the law and that regulations are enforced on things like this.
I can just imagine the hotel owner saying "Oh, we can't use this, it's not allowed without permission, we had better burn the mattress and buy another." Yeah! Right!
It reminds me of watching the news yesterday and people were complaining about the 'couldn't-give-a-toss' attitude of songthaew drivers on the roads and some middle ranking cop officer is interviewed and says, in a matter of fact way, that policemen will fine the drivers 2000 baht for such infringements when seen.
Sometimes it's amazing how far away from reality these reports and those interviewed are, or just the size of the lies presented.
Resolve dissolves in alcohol
Re: Toxic death theory 'carries little weight'
If it was not so serious it would be laughable. If the reporting is correct it has to asked just what some of these "experts" use for brains.prcscct wrote::
Thorough checks conducted by the doctors when the three tourists were admitted to the hospital found no traces of insecticides, he said..................................
An autopsy performed by Maharaj Hospital also found no toxic substance residue. The doctors suspected Carter died from food poisoning, according to a Chiang Mai police report."
Dr Surasing said the team would meet again after receiving test results of samples collected from the victims' bodies. The samples were sent for testing at laboratories in the United States and Japan.
"The company that used the substance for pest control services might have imported it as powder, mixed it with water and used it to spray termites, resulting in leftover residue on beds," Mr Mongkol said.
How and why did they check for insecticides, when now they have to send samples overseas to be tested?
Maharaj Hospital doctors suspected that Ms Carter died from food poisoning: and that right there tells you just what "tests" they carried out.
It is a "controlled substance" yet they state that the company using it MAY have imported it!
Why don`t they know where it came from?
.......................................................
The worrying thing with shit like this is that nobody knows what other substances are getting sprayed around, OR where they are getting used. In the Condo that I have in Bangkok for instance, they regularly spray some crap around the common areas as "insect" control. Ask what chemical it is and nobody can tell you, and what is worse, all you get is the expected blank look and mai pen rai. The same with the fogging machines that they use in the basement car park.
I guess that calls for a thread of its own, but it is all connected.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Chlorpyrifos is moderately toxic to humans (50). Poisoning from chlorpyrifos may affect the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the respiratory system (31). It is also a skin and eye irritant (49). While some organophosphates are readily absorbed through the skin, studies in humans suggest that skin absorption of chlorpyrifos is more limited (45). Skin which has come in contact with this material should be washed immediately with soap and water and all contaminated clothing should be removed. The acute dermal LD50 for chlorpyrifos in male and female rats is greater than 2,000 mg/kg (53).
You would have to swallow 100 gm of the pure stuff for a 50Kg sheila to be in the unlucky 50% dead group! And that is if you are a rat too!! So with the safety factor of ~8 (may in fact be higher) that means 800gm for an LD 50 for a human!
Chronic poisoning a different situation!
Gas chromatography easy for ID and quick. Would have thought that the more common food poisoning bugs very easy to pick up in a decent path. lab too.
You would have to swallow 100 gm of the pure stuff for a 50Kg sheila to be in the unlucky 50% dead group! And that is if you are a rat too!! So with the safety factor of ~8 (may in fact be higher) that means 800gm for an LD 50 for a human!
Chronic poisoning a different situation!
Gas chromatography easy for ID and quick. Would have thought that the more common food poisoning bugs very easy to pick up in a decent path. lab too.
Re: Hotel denies using bug killer spray
MYSTERY DEATHS
Hotel denies using bug killer spray
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/ ... ller-spray
Published: 12/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The manager of the Downtown Inn Hotel in Chiang Mai yesterday denied the hotel has been using a bedbug killer containing chlorpyrifos.
His comments followed reports in the New Zealand media that an independent investigation had found traces of chlorpyrifos, a potentially lethal toxin used to kill bedbugs, in samples from hotel rooms where guests had developed fatal illnesses and some died either right in their hotel rooms or elsewhere.
Thanthep Bunkaeo said Downtown Inn Hotel, which is in Muang district, had stopped using the bedbug killer a long time ago.
He insisted there was no chlorpyrifos in any of the hotel rooms.
Earlier, the findings from an independent investigation were reported on the New Zealand television programme 60 Minutes.
The investigators noted that seven guests who had stayed at the hotel and died later on might have died because of high levels of pesticide in their hotel rooms.
Investigators found traces of chlorpyrifos on bed linen in one of the hotel rooms. They assumed the toxic chemical was in a pesticide spray as chlorpyrifos is a common mixture in pesticides available in Asia.
The symptoms of chlorpyrifos poisoning include nausea, fatigue, muscle contraction and chest pain. In critical cases, the symptoms can be as serious as losing consciousness and stopping breathing.
The first guest who died at the Downtown Inn Hotel was Waraporn Yingmahasaranont, 48, a tour guide.
On Feb 7, another guest, Sarah Carter, 23, a student from New Zealand who stayed at the hotel, died of what was initially thought to be food poisoning at Chiang Mai Hospital. Her friends, Amanda Eliason, 24, and Emma Langlands, 23, became gravely ill. The two recovered and travelled safely back to New Zealand later on. After that, on Feb 19, a British couple, George Everitt, 78, and Eileen Everitt, 74, died of heart attacks in their room at the same hotel.
Hotel denies using bug killer spray
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/ ... ller-spray
Published: 12/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
The manager of the Downtown Inn Hotel in Chiang Mai yesterday denied the hotel has been using a bedbug killer containing chlorpyrifos.
His comments followed reports in the New Zealand media that an independent investigation had found traces of chlorpyrifos, a potentially lethal toxin used to kill bedbugs, in samples from hotel rooms where guests had developed fatal illnesses and some died either right in their hotel rooms or elsewhere.
Thanthep Bunkaeo said Downtown Inn Hotel, which is in Muang district, had stopped using the bedbug killer a long time ago.
He insisted there was no chlorpyrifos in any of the hotel rooms.
Earlier, the findings from an independent investigation were reported on the New Zealand television programme 60 Minutes.
The investigators noted that seven guests who had stayed at the hotel and died later on might have died because of high levels of pesticide in their hotel rooms.
Investigators found traces of chlorpyrifos on bed linen in one of the hotel rooms. They assumed the toxic chemical was in a pesticide spray as chlorpyrifos is a common mixture in pesticides available in Asia.
The symptoms of chlorpyrifos poisoning include nausea, fatigue, muscle contraction and chest pain. In critical cases, the symptoms can be as serious as losing consciousness and stopping breathing.
The first guest who died at the Downtown Inn Hotel was Waraporn Yingmahasaranont, 48, a tour guide.
On Feb 7, another guest, Sarah Carter, 23, a student from New Zealand who stayed at the hotel, died of what was initially thought to be food poisoning at Chiang Mai Hospital. Her friends, Amanda Eliason, 24, and Emma Langlands, 23, became gravely ill. The two recovered and travelled safely back to New Zealand later on. After that, on Feb 19, a British couple, George Everitt, 78, and Eileen Everitt, 74, died of heart attacks in their room at the same hotel.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
I'm an industrial chemist who used to ID such things - what would I know ??
PS if the chemical is in common use in the LOS (which it is) why the cluster at the hotel????
for a definition of "moderate": http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Docs/ref_t ... ectedAcute
for more inf. on chlorprifos:
Symptoms of Chlorpyrifos Exposure from the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC)
Report a Poisoning
View full ICSC Cards: English Español Française Chinese Dutch Finnish German Hungarian Japanese Swahili Thai Urdu
NOTE! STRICT HYGIENE! AVOID EXPOSURE OF ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN!
General First Aid: IN ALL CASES CONSULT A DOCTOR!
Route of Exposure
Symptoms
First Aid
Inhalation Convulsions. Dizziness. Sweating. Nausea. Unconsciousness. Vomiting. Pupillary constriction muscle cramp excessive salivation. Fresh air rest. Artificial respiration if indicated. Refer for medical attention.
Skin MAY BE ABSORBED! (Further see Inhalation). Remove contaminated clothes. Rinse and then wash skin with water and soap. Refer for medical attention.
Eyes Blurred vision. First rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible) then take to a doctor.
Ingestion Abdominal cramps. Diarrhoea. Nausea. Unconsciousness. Vomiting. (See Inhalation). Induce vomiting (ONLY IN CONSCIOUS PERSONS!). Rest. Refer for medical attention.
Notes for ICSC Information
Depending on the degree of exposure periodic medical examination is indicated. Specific treatment is necessary in case of poisoning with this substance; the appropriate means with instructions must be available. If the substance is formulated with solvent(s) also consult the card(s) (ICSC) of the solvent(s). Carrier solvents used in commercial formulations may change physical and toxicological properties. Do NOT take working clothes home. Dursban Dowco 179 Eradex Lorsban Pyrinex Coroban Danusban Terial are trade names.
PS if the chemical is in common use in the LOS (which it is) why the cluster at the hotel????
for a definition of "moderate": http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Docs/ref_t ... ectedAcute
for more inf. on chlorprifos:
Symptoms of Chlorpyrifos Exposure from the International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC)
Report a Poisoning
View full ICSC Cards: English Español Française Chinese Dutch Finnish German Hungarian Japanese Swahili Thai Urdu
NOTE! STRICT HYGIENE! AVOID EXPOSURE OF ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN!
General First Aid: IN ALL CASES CONSULT A DOCTOR!
Route of Exposure
Symptoms
First Aid
Inhalation Convulsions. Dizziness. Sweating. Nausea. Unconsciousness. Vomiting. Pupillary constriction muscle cramp excessive salivation. Fresh air rest. Artificial respiration if indicated. Refer for medical attention.
Skin MAY BE ABSORBED! (Further see Inhalation). Remove contaminated clothes. Rinse and then wash skin with water and soap. Refer for medical attention.
Eyes Blurred vision. First rinse with plenty of water for several minutes (remove contact lenses if easily possible) then take to a doctor.
Ingestion Abdominal cramps. Diarrhoea. Nausea. Unconsciousness. Vomiting. (See Inhalation). Induce vomiting (ONLY IN CONSCIOUS PERSONS!). Rest. Refer for medical attention.
Notes for ICSC Information
Depending on the degree of exposure periodic medical examination is indicated. Specific treatment is necessary in case of poisoning with this substance; the appropriate means with instructions must be available. If the substance is formulated with solvent(s) also consult the card(s) (ICSC) of the solvent(s). Carrier solvents used in commercial formulations may change physical and toxicological properties. Do NOT take working clothes home. Dursban Dowco 179 Eradex Lorsban Pyrinex Coroban Danusban Terial are trade names.
Re: Probe team narrows possibilities
MYSTERIOUS DEATHS
Probe team narrows possibilities
By Kwandao Jitpana
The Nation
CHIANG MAI
Published on May 13, 2011
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/05 ... 55299.html
The investigation into the Downtown Inn Hotel deaths hadn't determine the exact cause of death yet but now focused on three possible causes: infection, chemical or environment, and would get experts' help to determine the cause of deaths, it was announced at the press conference yesterday.
This move followed headlines about a New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter's mysterious death especially the New Zealand TV3's "60 Minutes" programme, which suggested the chemical spray chlorpyrifos that kills bed bugs was responsible for the death of Sarah Carter, as well as six others who were reported to have died in similar circumstances since January.
At the Chiang Mai Public Health Office yesterday, Chiang Mai Governor Panadda Diskul presided over the threehourlong closedoor conference with Chiang Mai health authority and consulate representatives of 10 countries including Todd Cleaver from the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok.
In the press conference later, Chiang Mai Public Health chief Dr Wattana Kanchanakamon said they had a lot of meetings and get helps from experts including those from the World Health Organisation and Japan's Osaka City to determine the cause and what to do next.
He said they had Carter's stomach liquid sample that needed to be retested for credibility before reporting the result to those involved without any hiding or covering up attempts.
Wattana's deputy Dr Surasing Wisarutrat said that the probe had progressed half way now and the initial possible causes (infection, chemicals, crime, drug and environment) were narrowed to focus on infection, infection and environment - all of which needed further inspections. Surasing said the team would also be happy to accept any help in term of experts and also warned that public should not expect too much because a disease investigation might not definitely find the exact cause of the death sometimes. He said the team would also have a teleconference over the case with foreign experts at 6pm yesterday. He said the hotelroom where Carter stayed prior to her death was also closed and the hotel insisted they didn't use the chemical spray chlorpyrifos. He also added that chlorpyrifos would be fatal if one drank a glassful of it or 87cc hence death by inhaling it was unlikely. He said they would continue the probe with helps from experts and would keep those involved updated.
Panadda said that the Thai authorities didn't ignore the problem and all tried their best to restore the Thai people's integrity that they worked with sincerity and transparency. But to be appropriate, the Thai authorities had to contact the families of those who died or fell sick to make them at ease. Panadda said he therefore brought the probing team to explain to the international convoys about what they had done in the probe so far. He said that the convoys agreed that they had done a lot. He said that the team would need more time to get the answer.
Prior to the conference yesterday, Panadda commented that the international media's news reported had exaggerated facts especially the number of seven persons died after staying or using the facilities of Downtown Inn Hotel. He said that there were actually only four people; the elderly English couple whose deaths weren't questioned by relatives due to their ages, hence only a Thai female tour guide and the 23yearold New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter - the latter whose death on February 6 led to news headlines. He also said the hotel owner wasn't his relative as claimed.
Probe team narrows possibilities
By Kwandao Jitpana
The Nation
CHIANG MAI
Published on May 13, 2011
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/05 ... 55299.html
The investigation into the Downtown Inn Hotel deaths hadn't determine the exact cause of death yet but now focused on three possible causes: infection, chemical or environment, and would get experts' help to determine the cause of deaths, it was announced at the press conference yesterday.
This move followed headlines about a New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter's mysterious death especially the New Zealand TV3's "60 Minutes" programme, which suggested the chemical spray chlorpyrifos that kills bed bugs was responsible for the death of Sarah Carter, as well as six others who were reported to have died in similar circumstances since January.
At the Chiang Mai Public Health Office yesterday, Chiang Mai Governor Panadda Diskul presided over the threehourlong closedoor conference with Chiang Mai health authority and consulate representatives of 10 countries including Todd Cleaver from the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok.
In the press conference later, Chiang Mai Public Health chief Dr Wattana Kanchanakamon said they had a lot of meetings and get helps from experts including those from the World Health Organisation and Japan's Osaka City to determine the cause and what to do next.
He said they had Carter's stomach liquid sample that needed to be retested for credibility before reporting the result to those involved without any hiding or covering up attempts.
Wattana's deputy Dr Surasing Wisarutrat said that the probe had progressed half way now and the initial possible causes (infection, chemicals, crime, drug and environment) were narrowed to focus on infection, infection and environment - all of which needed further inspections. Surasing said the team would also be happy to accept any help in term of experts and also warned that public should not expect too much because a disease investigation might not definitely find the exact cause of the death sometimes. He said the team would also have a teleconference over the case with foreign experts at 6pm yesterday. He said the hotelroom where Carter stayed prior to her death was also closed and the hotel insisted they didn't use the chemical spray chlorpyrifos. He also added that chlorpyrifos would be fatal if one drank a glassful of it or 87cc hence death by inhaling it was unlikely. He said they would continue the probe with helps from experts and would keep those involved updated.
Panadda said that the Thai authorities didn't ignore the problem and all tried their best to restore the Thai people's integrity that they worked with sincerity and transparency. But to be appropriate, the Thai authorities had to contact the families of those who died or fell sick to make them at ease. Panadda said he therefore brought the probing team to explain to the international convoys about what they had done in the probe so far. He said that the convoys agreed that they had done a lot. He said that the team would need more time to get the answer.
Prior to the conference yesterday, Panadda commented that the international media's news reported had exaggerated facts especially the number of seven persons died after staying or using the facilities of Downtown Inn Hotel. He said that there were actually only four people; the elderly English couple whose deaths weren't questioned by relatives due to their ages, hence only a Thai female tour guide and the 23yearold New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter - the latter whose death on February 6 led to news headlines. He also said the hotel owner wasn't his relative as claimed.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Governor dismisses bedbug spray link
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... spray-link
CHIANG MAI : There is no medical evidence to confirm claims a bedbug killer containing chlorpyrifos was responsible for the deaths of guests at a Chiang Mai hotel, the province's governor, ML Panadda Disakul, says.
He made the statement after meeting foreign diplomats and representatives of foreign consulates based in the northern province.
ML Panadda said there was not enough medical information to support the claims.
He said the investigation will continue and the United States and Japan will send the results of their findings into the cause of the deaths to Thailand.
A team of doctors will release the findings. Samples collected from the victims' bodies were sent for testing at laboratories in the US and Japan.
ML Panadda criticised foreign media for exaggerating the news. He said Chiang Mai authorities will do all they can to clarify the matter and uncover the truth. Police are launching an investigation into the matter, he said, adding that the incident has damaged the image of Chiang Mai as a tourist attraction.
Dr Surasing Visaruthrat, of the Chiang Mai public health office, said public health officials are stepping up efforts to investigate the remaining evidence.
He said health authorities wanted to perform autopsies on the bodies of the victims, but their relatives denied the request and took back the bodies.
Earlier, there were reports in the New Zealand media that an investigation had found traces of chlorpyrifos, a potentially lethal toxin used to kill bedbugs, in samples from hotel rooms where guests had developed fatal illnesses and some died either in their hotel rooms or elsewhere.
The findings from an independent investigation were reported on the New Zealand television programme, 60 Minutes.
The programme said seven guests who had stayed at the hotel and died later on might have died because of high levels of pesticide in their hotel rooms.
Investigators found traces of chlorpyrifos on bed linen in one of the hotel rooms.
They assumed the toxic chemical was in a pesticide spray as chlorpyrifos is a common mixture in pesticides available in Asia.
The symptoms of chlorpyrifos poisoning include nausea, fatigue, muscle contraction and chest pain. In critical cases, the symptoms can be as serious as losing consciousness and stopping breathing.
The first guest who died at the Downtown Inn Hotel was Waraporn Yingmahasaranont, 48, a tour guide.
On Feb 7, another guest, Sarah Carter, 23, a student from New Zealand who stayed at the hotel, died of what was initially thought to be food poisoning at Chiang Mai Hospital.
Her friends, Amanda Eliason, 24, and Emma Langlands, 23, became gravely ill. The two recovered and travelled safely back to New Zealand later on. After that, on Feb 19, a British couple, George Everitt, 78, and Eileen Everitt, 74, died of heart attacks in their room at the same hotel.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... spray-link
CHIANG MAI : There is no medical evidence to confirm claims a bedbug killer containing chlorpyrifos was responsible for the deaths of guests at a Chiang Mai hotel, the province's governor, ML Panadda Disakul, says.
He made the statement after meeting foreign diplomats and representatives of foreign consulates based in the northern province.
ML Panadda said there was not enough medical information to support the claims.
He said the investigation will continue and the United States and Japan will send the results of their findings into the cause of the deaths to Thailand.
A team of doctors will release the findings. Samples collected from the victims' bodies were sent for testing at laboratories in the US and Japan.
ML Panadda criticised foreign media for exaggerating the news. He said Chiang Mai authorities will do all they can to clarify the matter and uncover the truth. Police are launching an investigation into the matter, he said, adding that the incident has damaged the image of Chiang Mai as a tourist attraction.
Dr Surasing Visaruthrat, of the Chiang Mai public health office, said public health officials are stepping up efforts to investigate the remaining evidence.
He said health authorities wanted to perform autopsies on the bodies of the victims, but their relatives denied the request and took back the bodies.
Earlier, there were reports in the New Zealand media that an investigation had found traces of chlorpyrifos, a potentially lethal toxin used to kill bedbugs, in samples from hotel rooms where guests had developed fatal illnesses and some died either in their hotel rooms or elsewhere.
The findings from an independent investigation were reported on the New Zealand television programme, 60 Minutes.
The programme said seven guests who had stayed at the hotel and died later on might have died because of high levels of pesticide in their hotel rooms.
Investigators found traces of chlorpyrifos on bed linen in one of the hotel rooms.
They assumed the toxic chemical was in a pesticide spray as chlorpyrifos is a common mixture in pesticides available in Asia.
The symptoms of chlorpyrifos poisoning include nausea, fatigue, muscle contraction and chest pain. In critical cases, the symptoms can be as serious as losing consciousness and stopping breathing.
The first guest who died at the Downtown Inn Hotel was Waraporn Yingmahasaranont, 48, a tour guide.
On Feb 7, another guest, Sarah Carter, 23, a student from New Zealand who stayed at the hotel, died of what was initially thought to be food poisoning at Chiang Mai Hospital.
Her friends, Amanda Eliason, 24, and Emma Langlands, 23, became gravely ill. The two recovered and travelled safely back to New Zealand later on. After that, on Feb 19, a British couple, George Everitt, 78, and Eileen Everitt, 74, died of heart attacks in their room at the same hotel.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
Re: Toxic seaweed kills NZ woman in Thailand
Pesticide theory backed in hotel deaths
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... tel-deaths
Published: 22/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
World Health Organisation experts suspect that a pest-control substance is a cause of the mysterious deaths at a Chiang Mai hotel.
Chiang Mai's head of public health Surasing Visaruthrat, who joined the WHO investigation team in examining the Downtown Inn on Friday, said the world body's experts agreed with his team that it was unlikely that New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter died of a bedbug spray containing chlorpyrifos as had been suggested.
"We are looking into a toxic substance other than chlorpyrifos," Dr Surasing said. He refused to name the substance, saying only that it was "a pest control chemical".
Carter was one of seven people who died mysteriously in the northern province between January and February.
Four of them had stayed at the Downtown Inn.
The mystery over Carter's death resurfaced recently after an investigation commissioned by the New Zealand TV3 show 60 Minutes found traces of chlorpyrifos in the hotel.
But Thai authorities cited a medical report that found no trace of insecticide in Carter's body, while the hotel manager has denied using the highly toxic substance.
Dr Surasing said WHO officials and his team examined over 10 guest rooms, including Room 516, where Carter and two of her friends stayed.
The WHO officials cut out part of the carpet under the hotel beds for laboratory testing.
They also inspected the hotel kitchen and swimming pool, he said.
According to Dr Surasing, the carpet samples were sent to a WHO-certified laboratory at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok.
The WHO investigation team is expected to return to Chiang Mai for further investigation after lab test results early next week, he said.
Chiang Mai governor Panadda Disakul said yesterday the WHO investigation would ensure a transparent inquest following conflict over earlier theories of whether a virus or exposure to a chemical toxin had caused the deaths.
The investigation would boost confidence for all parties currently trying to uncover the cause of the deaths, the governor said after meeting WHO representative Richard Brown.
ML Panadda said he would like the investigation to uncover the truth as soon as possible for the sake of the "good image of Chiang Mai and Thailand", which have been marred by media coverage of the deaths.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... tel-deaths
Published: 22/05/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News
World Health Organisation experts suspect that a pest-control substance is a cause of the mysterious deaths at a Chiang Mai hotel.
Chiang Mai's head of public health Surasing Visaruthrat, who joined the WHO investigation team in examining the Downtown Inn on Friday, said the world body's experts agreed with his team that it was unlikely that New Zealand tourist Sarah Carter died of a bedbug spray containing chlorpyrifos as had been suggested.
"We are looking into a toxic substance other than chlorpyrifos," Dr Surasing said. He refused to name the substance, saying only that it was "a pest control chemical".
Carter was one of seven people who died mysteriously in the northern province between January and February.
Four of them had stayed at the Downtown Inn.
The mystery over Carter's death resurfaced recently after an investigation commissioned by the New Zealand TV3 show 60 Minutes found traces of chlorpyrifos in the hotel.
But Thai authorities cited a medical report that found no trace of insecticide in Carter's body, while the hotel manager has denied using the highly toxic substance.
Dr Surasing said WHO officials and his team examined over 10 guest rooms, including Room 516, where Carter and two of her friends stayed.
The WHO officials cut out part of the carpet under the hotel beds for laboratory testing.
They also inspected the hotel kitchen and swimming pool, he said.
According to Dr Surasing, the carpet samples were sent to a WHO-certified laboratory at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok.
The WHO investigation team is expected to return to Chiang Mai for further investigation after lab test results early next week, he said.
Chiang Mai governor Panadda Disakul said yesterday the WHO investigation would ensure a transparent inquest following conflict over earlier theories of whether a virus or exposure to a chemical toxin had caused the deaths.
The investigation would boost confidence for all parties currently trying to uncover the cause of the deaths, the governor said after meeting WHO representative Richard Brown.
ML Panadda said he would like the investigation to uncover the truth as soon as possible for the sake of the "good image of Chiang Mai and Thailand", which have been marred by media coverage of the deaths.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source