Insecticide likely sickened inn guests

Insecticide likely sickened inn guests

Thai authorities have completed their investigation into the deaths of five tourists and a Thai tour guide at Downtown Inn Hotel in Chiang Mai, identifying the likely causes of some of the deaths as insecticide.

The Disease Control Department's five-month probe covered six deaths and illness in three other people in Chiang Mai between Jan 11 and Feb 19. The report pointed to likely causes of death, but could not confirm the agents.
Chemical and tissue samples were sent to certified laboratories in Thailand, the United States, Japan and Germany during the investigation.
Health experts concluded that Soraya Pandola, a 33-year-old American woman, died on Jan 11 from exposure to a chemical, most likely a rodenticide. Yet the exact agent could not be identified. Her Canadian friend fell ill but recovered. They stayed together in the hotel.
The experts concluded that a 25-year-old French woman who died on Jan 19 had evidence of inflammation of her heart muscles due to viral infection rather than exposure to a poison.
In the case of three New Zealand women who were sickened, the 23-year-old who died on Feb 6 had abnormal acid levels in her circulatory system, while the other two who fell ill suffered heart muscle injuries.
Abnormal rhythm of the heartbeat was the most likely cause of death for Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, a 47-year-old Thai woman, a tour guide who stayed in a room adjacent to the New Zealanders.

• See also: New Zealand reaction

The investigators said the cause of their illnesses was likely the same due to the proximity of their rooms.
The investigators concluded that they were likely exposed to chemicals commonly found in pesticides, based on blood and biological test results from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and German labs.
"Despite the best efforts of the Thai authorities and their international partners, the specific agent that caused the deaths and illnesses in these events cannot be identified or determine exactly how the people might have been exposed to them," the statement said.
It also said a panel would be set up to investigate and recommend stricter measures for the use of chemicals including pesticides in hotel and market areas.
Thai health authorities are taking steps to reduce the risk of chemical and pesticide exposure to future Chiang Mai visitors and will apply the measures in other major tourist destinations, the statement said.