An Australian university student who unknowingly ingested rat poison in Taiwan has spoken from his Brisbane hospital bed, where his family says he is making "good progress" in his recovery.
Alex Shorey, 24, was flown to Brisbane on Wednesday, where specialists confirmed he had "very high levels of toxins" in his body.
In a video shot by his family inside the Princess Alexandra Hospital, the exchange student thanked everybody who had helped him return to Australia for treatment.
"Thank you everyone who helped me get home," Mr Shorey says in the video.
Family and friends raised $200,000 for his medical evacuation from Taiwan.
Speaking outside the hospital, Mr Shorey's father, Stephen, said his son's condition had deteriorated shortly before he left Taiwan after he had another anaphylactic reaction.
"I believe his medical repatriation actually saved his life," Dr Shorey said.
"While Alex still has a long road ahead, in terms of his recovery, his condition is improving.
"He has a partially collapsed left lung, pericardial effusion, and adrenal insufficiency from the steroids he was getting to help manage his reactions to the injectable vitamin K1."
Meanwhile, in Taiwan, police say they are investigating Mr Shorey's female friend for poisoning him.
The University of Queensland exchange student had been in Taiwan for a year and was weeks away from returning home to Australia when he experienced black skin spots and unusual bleeding.
Dr Shorey said the family were "aware that the Taiwanese authorities are looking closely at the circumstances surrounding Alex's illness".
"We don't want to prejudice any police initiation by making any further comment in this matter, beyond saying that we are so grateful that our son is alive and we are eager to hear the outcome of the investigations," he added.
A Taipei City Police spokesman said investigators had "searched the home of a female friend and found relevant evidence" on Wednesday, and she has been "restricted from leaving Taiwan".
Doctors at a top Taipei hospital found that Alex had ingested super warfarin — normally used in rat bait — and his condition critically worsened to include organ damage when his body responded badly to treatment.
Dr Shorey said his son was looking forward to being back in Toowoomba, to "sit in the garden and pat his little puppy, Barney".
ABC
