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Tourist Sarah Carter, 23: now her death may finally have an explanation

Heart Virus Killed Chiang Mai Tourist, Says Doctor

Saturday, March 12, 2011
NEW ZEALAND embassy staff have been told that the death of young tourist Sarah Carter was caused by a highly infectious virus that triggered a fatal heart complaint, the NZ media is reporting.

The death of Ms Carter, 23, at a Chiang Mai hotel in February was one of five in the city within six weeks - four of them at the same hotel - that have yet to be fully explained.

The 'Dominion Post' today reported that tests carried out on Ms Carter showed she had echovirus - a highly contagious disease that can cause the heart condition myocarditis. ''The disease is linked to dirty, overcrowded conditions,'' the newspaper report said.

A Thai doctor, Pasakorn Akarasewi, met New Zealand embassy staff on Thursday night and passed on the report so far on Ms Carter's death, according to the NZ Press Association.

British pensioners George and Eileen Everitt, who died in the hotel just two weeks later, were reported to have shown signs associated with heart attacks, although it seemed unlikely that heart attacks had killed them both simultaneously.

The deaths of Waraporn Pungmahisiranon, 47, in the room next to Ms Carter the previous day and an American woman in similar circumstances at another Chiang Mai hotel in January have yet to be explained.
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Comments

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I wonder if the official who maintained it was pure 'co-incidence' that these deaths occurred in the same hotel will now respond ?

Posted by LivinLOS on March 12, 2011 12:12

Editor Comment:

Is there some kind of link between the deaths? No proven connection yet, just guesswork.

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If its a virus, one thats contagious and spread by "dirty overcrowded conditions" and has happened to 4 people (presumed) in the same guest house. Is it not logical to assume that the common link and method of infection is related to the location ??

Or is that too much of a leap ??

Posted by LivinLOS on March 12, 2011 13:36

Editor Comment:

Yes. Assumptions are what lynch mobs make.

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i don't know LivinLOS - what's the verdict according to Thaigeezer?

Posted by Mister Ree on March 12, 2011 13:44

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sometimes editor you should use some common sense and instead of trying to get more adverts by being whatever.

Posted by john s on March 12, 2011 15:15

Editor Comment:

We're not ''trying'' to do anything except provide a reliable news service of the kind that most people deserve. As always, john, you're the stand-out exception. No worries. Stick with your fortune tellers, witchdoctors and scaremongers. See if we care.

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editor let me know when you and your family stay at this hotel. then i won't have to assume anything.

Posted by john s on March 12, 2011 17:25

Editor Comment:

You're assuming I have a family, john.

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Will there be autopsies carried out on George and Eileen Everitt and on Waraporn Pungmahisiranon?

Perhaps the coroner or medical examiner could be given a hint as to what to look for.

Posted by Mike Boyd on March 12, 2011 22:56

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And what about the deaths in Phi-Phi where several foreigners dies in the same guest-house last year?

Is is the same virus?

Posted by Whistle-Blower on March 13, 2011 09:37

Editor Comment:

There were two deaths, not ''several.'' Two tourists took ill at Laleena guesthouse. They did not die there. Unfortunately the deaths of those two young women are unlikely to ever have an official cause. The deaths were in 2009, not last year. There is no way of officially connecting the Phi Phi cases and the Chiang Mai cases.

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Editor,
The text is misleading. A total of four took ill at Laleena, Phi Phi- three women, and one man, and they were all vomiting profusely. Two women then died.

Several months later St. Onge lung tissue pathology done in US indicated severe congestion. You reported all this when PG was in protect mode reporting the food poisoning line and ignoring the lung congestion fact.
I remember the Phuket deaths too maybe in early June? Soon thereafter.. German man and the Iranian woman. Throwing up and dying
And three o r even four un ID westerner bodies in the water, were they ever autopsied?
Maybe there should be an official link?

Posted by Cap't. Kirk on March 13, 2011 16:26

Editor Comment:

There was never any conclusion, apart from chat site mythology. Similarities in some ways between the three New Zealanders falling ill and the four who fell ill on Phi Phil, but the problem is there can't be official links because there is no standard procedure by a coroner or medical examiner who can link them. Even with an autopsy on Julie Bernheim in Norway by leading pathologists, no conclusions were possible. The best that can be hoped for is future improvement in methods and the system.

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Prior death in CM revealed bring total to six deaths in CM. NOTE: CDC bulletin focused on heart enlargement NOT VIRUS "Vomiting with no other symptoms"

http://pr.ddc.moph.go.th/pnews/showimgdetil.php?id=243

Posted by MediaWatcher on March 14, 2011 10:36

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Is it possible to publish the name of this guest house? I realize that this is all speculative, but just in case....might decide to stay somewhere ELSE

Posted by K. Parks on March 17, 2011 00:21


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