Critical Care Management of Patients with COVID-19: Early Experience in Thailand
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Published on: September 24, 2020
Ranistha Ratanarat1, Chaisith Sivakorn2, Tanuwong Viarasilpa1
11Division of Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Insights
Thailand effectively controlled COVID-19 through public health policies and early risk stratification for patient care. This approach resulted in a low case fatality rate, demonstrating successful pandemic management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic presented global health challenges.
- Thailand, an upper middle-income country, faced limitations in healthcare infrastructure and human resources.
- Nearly 3,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported by early May 2020.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present Thailand's initial experience managing the COVID-19 outbreak.
- To highlight factors contributing to the pandemic's curtailment in Thailand.
- To detail care strategies for severely ill COVID-19 patients.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of public health policies to prevent new cases.
- Early stratification of patients based on disease severity risk.
- Timely initiation of supportive care using affordable measures.
- Development of accessible diagnostic approaches and isolation protocols.
Main Results:
- Public health policies were highly effective in halting the pandemic's spread.
- Thailand achieved a low case fatality rate of 1.7%.
- Early risk stratification and supportive care contributed to favorable outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Thailand's strategic approach successfully curtailed the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Affordable and timely interventions were key to managing severe cases.
- Local considerations for experimental treatments were also discussed.
Abstract:
Since late December 2019, the world has been challenged with an outbreak of COVID-19. In Thailand, an upper middle-income country with a limited healthcare infrastructure and restricted human resources, nearly 3,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported as of early May 2020. Public health policies aimed at preventing new COVID-19 cases were very effective in halting the pandemic in Thailand. Case fatality in Thailand has been low (1.7%), at least in part due to early stratification according to risk of disease severity and timely initiation of supportive care with affordable measures. We present our initial experience with COVID-19 in Thailand, focusing on several aspects that may have played a crucial role in curtailment of the pandemic, and elements of care for severely ill COVID-19 patients, including stratification, isolation, and affordable diagnostic approaches and supportive care measures. We also discuss local considerations concerning some proposed experimental treatments.
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