BANGKOK, Feb 3 (TNA) – Thailand will send an aircraft to
evacuate 161 Thai citizens from China’s Wuhan city on Tuesday and put them in
quarantine for 14 days after their return.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul revealed that
none of the evacuees had been infected with the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
“The only concern is
their mental stress,” he said after chairing a workshop on disease control with
over 500 medical personnel.
Initial reports say the flight will take the Thai citizens
from Wuhan to U-tapao naval airbase in Chon Buri province.
Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy Adm Leuchai Ruddit
said the government had not finalized the plan but the Navy was ready to facilitate
the operation.
If it was confirmed, vacation homes of the Royal Thai Navy
could be used for the 14-day mandatory quarantine, said Adm Leuchai.
The new coronavirus has now spread to 27 countries and
territories worldwide. There are 17,393 confirmed cases and 362 deaths as of
Monday’s afternoon.
Thailand has 19 confirmed cases of the virus with 8 of them
fully recovered.
On Sunday, a team of doctors at Rajavithi Hospital in
Bangkok claimed they discovered a medical treatment that cured a patient of
coronavirus in 48 hours.
Dr. Kriangsak Atipornwanich said the 70-year-old female
patient from Wuhan was given a combination of drugs used in HIV and flu
treatments.
He said more tests were still needed to ensure the method’s
effectiveness. (TNA)
