Over 200 people, who attended a funeral in Nong Phai district of Thailand’s northern province of Phetchabun earlier this week, have been advised to enter isolation for observation after they were informed yesterday by the district hospital that the deceased was infected with COVID-19.
The Nong Phai district hospital has admitted the mistake inletting relatives take the body of 78-year old Mrs. Nufuei Mala for a funeral after she died on Monday.
The patient was admitted to the hospital on December 3rd, with a high fever, diarrhoea, fatigue and diabetes. She was, however, cleared of COVID-19 by an antigen test. Hercondition deteriorated due to a lung infection and her doctor decided to take a second test, by means of RT-PCR, but the result was still pending when she died. Relatives were notified and allowed to take the body home for a funeral.
The RT-PCR test result arrived yesterday, confirming the woman’s COVID-19 infection and her relatives were immediately alerted, causing alarm among more than 200 funeral attendees, some of whom called the hospital for more information, but to no avail.
It was reported that Phetchabun Governor Krit Kongmuang yesterday ordered a full report on the case from the Nong Phai district hospital’s director, Dr. Somrath Sritrakul.
Dr. Somrath visited the deceased’s family yesterday and apologized for the hospital’s blunder.
