A British tourist is feared to have contracted the mysterious coronavirus that’s sweeping Asia after he was hospitalized on a trip to Thailand, according to a report.
Ash Shorley, 32, was admitted in critical condition to a Phuket hospital, where he’s being treated for pneumonia-like lung infections, the Sun reported.
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Doctors believe his symptoms are consistent with the new Chinese coronavirus, which has killed three patients and infected hundreds of others.
“They think he is the first Western victim of the Chinese flu,” his father, Chris, told the outlet. “We are waiting on tests.”
A UK tourist fighting for his life in Thailand is feared to be the first western victim of the Chinese flu-like coronavirus
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Shorley — who had been traveling around Southeast Asia — became ill and his lungs collapsed on Koh Phi Phi island, the outlet reported.
He was transported on a special seaplane to the hospital because his lung damage prevented travel at higher altitudes, the report said.
Ash Shorley/Facebook
“He wasn’t able to go above a certain altitude because his lungs would pop,” his mom, Julie, told the Sun. “They managed to get him here and if it wasn’t for the doctors’ expertise, he would be dead by now.”
While at the hospital, Shorley had around 70 ounces of liquid drained from his lungs, according to the report.
Chinese Coronavirus
Chris Shorley said doctors informed him that his son was two days away from death when he arrived at the hospital.
Ash Shorley, 32, was rushed to hospital in Phuket after a pneumonia-style bug infected both lungs while he was on Koh Phi Phi island
“If he wasn’t so fit and healthy before, he wouldn’t be with us now,” his father told the Sun.
His family is urging travelers in Asia to take precautions.
“Anyone traveling to Asia, I would say to you, get a mask,” his father said. “Everyone here is wearing masks, there are people coughing everywhere.”
The SARS-like outbreak is believed to have originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where 198 cases have been recorded.
The country has confirmed a total of 217 cases of the mysterious illness — with five patients in the capital city, Beijing, and 14 in Guangdong, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
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Officials said the epidemic has spread to Thailand and Japan with the cases involving recent travel from China.
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This article first appeared on New York Post.
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