THAILAND: The Public Well being Ministry yesterday (Jan 24) confirmed the fifth case of a Sars-like coronavirus in Thailand however assured that each one essential precautionary measures had been taken to stop the illness from spreading.
Well being officers put together to display screen guests at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province. Picture: Bangkok Put up
Talking after visiting the feminine affected person at Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok, Deputy Public Well being Minister Sathit Pitutecha stated the newest case is a 33-year-old Chinese language lady who travelled from Wuhan, the supply of the outbreak.
In line with Mr Sathit, she arrived in Thailand on Jan 21, simply earlier than Wuhan was locked down, and checked herself in at Rajavithi Hospital on Jan 23 after creating a fever and cough. Docs suspected coronavirus and two lab checks confirmed she had contracted the virus, formally often called 2019-nCoV.
He stated the affected person’s situation was enhancing however docs had been additionally monitoring the well being of her seven-year-old daughter who accompanied her to Thailand.
Mr Sathit stated the invention of the newest case indicated that measures, together with checking incoming passengers at airports and handing out well being pointers, had been efficient.
“She got here to the hospital after studying a well being advisory given to passengers from at-risk areas,” he stated.
Of the nation’s 5 confirmed instances, 4 are Chinese language nationals and one is Thai. All 5 had both visited and/or lived in Wuhan just lately.
The primary case, a 61-year-old feminine vacationer from China, was confirmed on Jan 13. On Jan 17, a 74-year-old Chinese language lady additionally examined constructive for the virus. On Jan 22 check outcomes for a 68-year-old Chinese language man who displayed signs additionally got here again constructive.
The fourth case is a 73-year-old Thai lady who’s being handled at a hospital in Nakhon Pathom.
Dr Thana Khawcharoenporn, an infectious illness specialist, burdened the necessity to monitor the outbreak carefully because it was not but clear how infectious the virus is. Nonetheless, Thailand is well-prepared to deal with the outbreak, saying indication was that sufferers found to date had all travelled from Wuhan.
The Kasikorn Analysis Centre (KRC) stated the lockdown of Wuhan shortly forward of Chinese language New 12 months would solely barely have an effect on the variety of Chinese language vacationers in Thailand, with the forecast clipped from 366,000 to 355,000-358,000.
In the meantime, Vichit Prakobgosol, president of the Affiliation of Thai Journey Brokers, assessed the implications after the Chinese language authorities instructed native tour operators to cease main tour teams overseas, saying that Thailand will lose round 50 billion baht from the 1.2-1.three million Chinese language travellers who won’t go to the nation over the subsequent two months.
“Among the many 900,000 Chinese language travellers who go to Thailand every month, 50% include tour teams that are immediately affected by the current order from the federal government. Though impartial travellers are excluded from the prohibition, a few of them should be frightened and will determine to not journey as properly,” he stated.
Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn admitted any advertising and marketing campaigns concentrating on Chinese language vacationers now could be fruitless given the Chinese language authorities’s extreme restrictions on travellers to stop the lethal coronavirus from spreading.
