BANGKOK, June 22 (TNA) – The Ministry of Public Health is confident that it can contain the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) as a patient's' conditions are improving but it is worried about foreign patients intending to reach Thailand.
Dr Wachira Pengjuntr, deputy permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Opart Karnkawinpong, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, and Dr Supamit Chunsutthiwathana, a disease control specialist, said Thailand could control MERS-CoV at a certain extent and the task had a positive outlook.
The 75-year-old patient from Oman, who was confirmed as the first Mers case in Thailand, is recovering. His lung infection is decreasing. He can eat by himself and breathe normally. He will undergo two more tests and if they show negative results, he will be confirmed as recovering from the disease. His three relatives are also recovering. Although no MERS-CoV was found in their bodies, they must be kept throughout the 14-day-long quarantine that will end on July 2, the senior health official said.
Dr Supamit said the recovery of the MERS-CoV patient in Thailand might encourage more foreigners to seek treatment in the country, so private hospitals would have their agencies ensure their visiting clients were free of MERS-CoV; otherwise, they could not enter Thailand. Foreigners seek 1.4 million treatments in Thailand annually.
Dr Opart said nine more people were being monitored for possible MERS-CoV infection and their total number so far this year rose to 53. Past tests gave negative results.
The number of people coming into contact with the Middle East patient has dropped to 163. The Ministry of Public Health, private hospitals and the Ministry of Defence will arrange for facilities to treat more patients because studies show that one patient can contact as many as 50 other persons, said Dr Opart. (TNA)
