Second case of new coronavirus in Thailand

BANGKOK: Thailand has found a second case of a new Chinese coronavirus, authorities said as they ramped up checks on Chinese visitors, nearly a million of whom are expected for Lunar New Year holidays next week.

The latest patient is from China’s central city of Wuhan, which has reported 41 cases of pneumonia potentially linked to the new type of virus, with two deaths as hospitals worldwide scramble to guard against any spread.

The 74-year-old woman, who had been quarantined since arriving in Thailand on Monday, was found to be infected, health officials said yesterday.

“We’re very confident that we can control the spread of this kind of diseases,” Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters, adding that the situation was under control and there was no outbreak in Thailand.

“We’re fully alert.”

The two Chinese patients were now safe but needed to go through a few more procedures before Thai authorities could let them return home, he added.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Thailand, which is on high alert ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, said on Monday it had found a 61-year-old Chinese woman carrying a strain of the coronavirus, the first time it was detected outside China.

Japan reported its first case of the infection on Thursday after a Japanese man returned from visiting Wuhan, known for picturesque lakes.

The World Health Organization has said the virus could spread and warned hospitals against it. Thai health officials have stepped up monitoring at four airports receiving daily flights from Wuhan – Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Chiang Mai and Phuket – and others that receive charter flights from the Chinese city.

Since Jan 3, Thailand has screened 13,624 passengers.

Health officials have also asked Thai AirAsia and China Southern Airlines, which run direct daily flights from Wuhan, to halt boarding by those suffering from high fever and respiratory symptoms, and to reschedule their flights.