Thai cave rescue: Most of 12 boys lost an average of 2kg, but otherwise healthy

CHIANG RAI - Most of the boys rescued from a Thai cave on Tuesday (July 10) lost an average of 2kg during their ordeal but were generally in good condition and showed no signs of stress, a senior health official said on Wednesday (July 11).

Rescuers freed the last four of 12 Thai boys and their football coach from deep inside the flooded cave on Tuesday, a successful end to a perilous mission that gripped the world for more than two weeks.

"From our assessment, they are in good condition and not stressed. Most of the boys lost an average of 2kg," Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, an inspector for Thailand's health department, told reporters on Wednesday.

The boys said they had not seen any bats or other animals inside the cave, but doctors would keep watching for any indications of infectious disease.

Samples have been sent for lab tests at Chulalongkorn Hospital Bangkok, with results expected within two days.

Medical officials are concerned that the boys could have been exposed to a variety of infections, including diseases carried by bats, a fungal infection sometimes called "cave disease", or the bacterial disease leptospirosis, which can be transmitted through water.

At least two boys have been treated for pneumonia.

Dr Ananya Sinrachatanant, a psychiatrist from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the mental health of all survivors remains fragile as they have just survived a traumatic event of being trapped inside the flooded cave for more than two weeks.

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She urged everyone to give them private space with their families and refrain from asking them about what happened while they were stranded in the cave, or worse, blame them for their actions.

She asked that the media and members of the public respect the privacy and rights of the survivors and not distribute fake news, or take part in social media bullying.