The youths will then be required to stay at Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital for at least a week pending results of lab test results on the samples collected from them, as part of precautions to be taken to identify and treat any serious diseases picked up in the cave, Public Health Permanent Secretary Dr Jessada Chokdamrongsuk told a press conference on Wednesday.

The footballers, aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach assistant, who remain in the cave pending a solution to bring them out safely, will also require three to seven days for their stomachs to re-adjust to properly digest food after having done without for more than a week, he said.

The team members will also need to wear sunglasses once they are brought out of dark cave to give their eyes time to adjustment before getting the eye doctor’s nod, said Jessada.

Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital has already prepared a separate large sterile room with equipment, giving it the capacity equivalent to that of an Intensive Care Unit and able to treat the 13 patients.

As two of the players suffer from asthma, specialist physicians would also be on hand at the hospital’s sterile room, he added.

For the first day or two, the team would not be allowed visitors as they underwent detailed check-ups and treatment. The hospital has also arranged accommodation for the 50 registered family members so they could visit the youths periodically later, Jessada said.

Responding to media questions about whether plan had been prepared for the team members, Jessada replied that the ministry had from the beginning supported the rescue mission in terms of staff, medical supplies and food. After the players and coach were found in the cave on Monday, the ministry also created a transportation plan that involves a 15-minute helicopter ride or a one-hour ambulance ride to the hospital.

Jessada also urged any relatives, as well as officials or volunteers involved in the mission, to call for medical aid at the hospital’s phone number (053910600) if they suspect they may have caught any cave-linked illnesses. Jessada also reported that prior to the children’s discovery, six relatives had developed depression but their conditions had much improved after receiving the news of their discovery.