Thai doctor’s health warning on Facebook mistaken for obituary

In a case of social media misunderstanding, a well-intentioned educational post on Facebook by a Thai doctor went viral for the wrong reasons.

Chulalongkorn University shared on its Facebook page an image of Dr Pawat Phuensan with a pink background and a message warning about the dangers of prawn whisker punctures leading to fatal infections. However, netizens misinterpreted the post as an obituary for the doctor, leading to a flood of condolence messages.

Chulalongkorn University’s Facebook page published a post on Monday featuring Dr Pawat Phuensan from the Department of Internal Medicine. The post included an image of Dr Pawat against a pink backdrop with a warning about infections from prawn whisker injuries and a QR code directing viewers to a video explaining the risks associated with such injuries. This was in response to a tragic incident involving a Chinese man who died from an Aeromonas infection after being pricked by a prawn whisker.

Despite the educational intent, the post’s presentation led many netizens to mistakenly believe that Dr Pawat had passed away. Their comments expressed sorrow over the young physician’s supposed death. The misunderstanding was widespread, prompting even popular pages like Drama-Addict to share the post and clarify that the doctor is providing knowledge, that he is alive and has not died due to a prawn.

The viral post, although causing initial confusion, ultimately served as a valuable public health announcement. The video provided by Dr Pawat offers free information about the dangers of seemingly harmless prawn whisker injuries, which can lead to severe Aeromonas infections and potentially fatal consequences, reported Sanook.

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