THE 13 “Wild Boars” rescued from a flooded cave in Chiang Rai province were in “good health” overall, doctors said.
There was no need for doctors to
prescribe sedatives to aid their sleep as they seemed to be in “very
good mental health” despite the ordeal, Public Health Ministry
inspector-general Dr Thongchai Lertwilairattapong said.
At a press conference yesterday morning, he attributed their good mental
health to having stuck together as a team under the good oversight of
their assistant coach. The first four young footballers to exit the
cave, aged 14-16, are now able to eat normal foods and were free from
leptospirosis. They would leave Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital on July
15 to recuperate at home for another week, Thongchai said.
Families get first glimpse
Two of this batch of footballers had initially shown signs of pneumonia,
but had responded well to the medication they were given, he said. The
family members of the first four boys were allowed to visit them. They
had to wear protective medical gowns, a face mask, hat and boots and
maintain a two-metre distance. The second batch of four footballers to
exit, aged 12-14, were also found to be in good physical health and free
from leptospirosis.
One initially had hypothermia and arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat)
presumably caused by the cave’s cold temperature, but had recovered.
The four kids were placed on a special diet of easily digestible soft
food with a mild taste, he said. It was expected that doctors would
later yesterday allow their relatives to visit them following the same
precautions as the parents of the first batch.
The five footballers, aged 11-25, who were brought out on Tuesday, had
no hypothermia issue although one of them had signs of pneumonia, he
said. There was no need for doctors to give them sedatives as they slept
well and seemed to be in “very good mental health”, Thongchai said.
“It’s possibly because they stayed together as a team throughout the
ordeal ... We have to commend the assistant coach for managing them well
in the situation.”
The second and third batches would remain in the hospital for a week for
physical recovery and for medical observation in case of any emerging
infections, he added.
After their release they would need to recuperate at home for at least
another seven days. Rescuers, volunteers and media members who were at
the Tham Luang cave during the rescue operation would also each receive a
“medical watch for ailment” card within two weeks, which they could
bring to a doctor to get a check-up.
Source - TheNation
