Novel coronavirus: Chinese tourist may be discharged this week - Thai Health Official

By Linda Khoo Hui Li

BANGKOK, Jan 16 (Bernama) – The Chinese tourist in Thailand who has been diagnosed with novel coronavirus is recovering well and is expected to be discharged by this week, a health official said.

The 61-year-old woman from the Chinese city of Wuhan was detected with febrile illness by thermal surveillance at Suvarnabhumi Airport upon her arrival there on Jan 8 and was hospitalised on the same day.

It marks the first exported case of a lab-confirmed novel coronavirus from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.

Senior Advisor of the Department of Disease Control Weerawat Manosuthi said the woman has been receiving treatment and quarantined since Jan 8, and her coronavirus was confirmed on Sunday by a laboratory test.

“She is recuperating. However, she is kept under observation.  She will be allowed to return home pending two lab results.                

“If she is (subsequently) tested negative for the virus, she could be discharged by this week,” the physician told Bernama, here, today.

The woman, who started to exhibit flu-like symptoms on Jan 5, was reported to have visited a local fresh market in Wuhan on a regular basis prior to the onset of illness but did not report of her visit to Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market - also in Wuhan - from where most of the cases were detected.

Weerawat said there has been a surge of admissions in subjects with respiratory symptoms, but tests on all the cases for novel coronavirus turned out negative.

“There is no new patient in Thailand,” he said.

Since the initial report of cases in Wuhan city on Dec 31, the mystery strain of coronavirus has infected at least 41 people in Wuhan.

A 61-year-old man died from pneumonia, a symptom of the disease, in Wuhan after an outbreak of the yet to be identified virus.

Most of the cases were found to involve workers or frequent visitors to Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which has been temporarily closed.

On Jan 13, World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is working with officials in Thailand and China following a report of the confirmed case outside China.

“It is critical to review all available information to fully understand the potential transmissibility among humans,” it said in a statement.

WHO said its Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will consult with Emergency Committee members and could call for a meeting of the committee on short notice.

“The possibility of cases being identified in other countries was not unexpected and reinforces why WHO calls for on-going active monitoring and preparedness in other countries,” it said.

WHO reiterated that it is essential that investigations continue in China to identify the source of this outbreak and any animal reservoirs or intermediate hosts.

-- BERNAMA