BANGKOK, Jan 13 (TNA) – Thailand has confirmed a 61-year-old Chinese tourist from Wuhan has been infected with the new coronavirus.
The authorities detected her illness through screening at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Jan 8 and the lab tests confirmed that she has contracted the new coronavirus, said Anutin Charnveerakul, Public Health Minister.
The minister confirmed that the contraction of the disease did not occur in Thailand. The Chinese woman is now receiving treatment at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi. It is expected that she will be able to return home within three days as she is recovering well from fever and does not have any respiratory symptoms.
Sixteen persons, who had close contact with the patient show no sign of any symptoms, relating to the disease.
Director- General of the Disease Control Department, Suwanchai Watanayingcharoen said that as more Chinese tourist arrivals are expected during the Chinese New Year on Jan25, thermal scanning of arriving travelers will be used to screen infectious diseases at two more international airports, U-Tapao and Krabi. No travel ban has been issued so far.
The new strain of the virus, which causes Pneumonia-like illness was discovered in China’s Wuhan and it does not appear to be transmittable between humans. One of Wuhan’s largest meat and seafood markets was pinpointed as the center of the outbreak. (TNA)
