Don’t hide travel history: govt
Ministry approves fine to stem outbreak
The Public Health Ministry is warning people against withholding information to public health officials and suggesting state agencies and companies issue an advisory and/or a temporary ban on visits to Covid-19 affected countries, as it steps up efforts to contain the spread of the virus.
The move comes after three members of a family who travelled to Hokkaido, Japan tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 40. It also followed a decision by national committee on communicable diseases early this week to label Covid-19 as a “dangerous, communicable disease”.
Following Covid-19’s status upgrade, officials now have the authority under the Communicable Disease Act to take necessary precautions to halt the transmission of the virus.
Anyone with symptoms after visiting a high-risk country are required to report to authorities, and those who fail to comply with orders face fines and/ or imprisonment.
The announcement, signed by the Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, will take effect one day after it is published in Royal Gazette. It is expected to come into effect by the end of the week.
At the ministry’s daily Covid-19 briefing yesterday, Health Minister Anutin — who is also a deputy prime minister — urged the public not to withhold any information which may help the government contain the Covid19 outbreak.
Mr Anutin made the comments after a 65-year-old man, his wife and their eight-year-old grandson tested positive following a trip to Japan, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 40.
“Just because of this case alone, about a hundred people will have to be tested,” he said. The man developed a fever and sought medical attention at a private hospital on Feb 23 — four days after returning from holiday.
The patient did not disclose his travel history until the next day, when he tested positive for the virus. His 62-yearold wife also tested positive, along with their eight-year-old grandson, who had been in close contact with the couple since their return.
About 30 medical personnel at the hospital came in contact with the
patient, although they all tested negative for the virus and are in self-quarantine at home.
Passengers and cabin crew on their inbound flight were all being screened for the virus.
Classes at Phraharuthai Donmuang School in Bangkok’s Don Muang district — where the couple’s grandson goes to school — have also been suspended for 14 days.
A total of 41 people — 30 classmates and 11 teachers — were asked to selfquarantine for 14 days, while about 100 others who came into contact with the boy were asked to avoid public places. When asked if the patient would face legal action, the minister said authorities would get to that later.
Mr Anutin also advised the postponement or cancellation of trips to affected countries until the situation returns to normal, saying it is essential to help control the number of infections in the country.
He also urged airlines and tour companies not to slash prices to lure customers to travel abroad, saying domestic travel should be promoted instead to help boost the local tourism industry, which has also been hit hard by the outbreak.
The Public Health Ministry also announced that all medical staff, especially doctors, nurses and lecturers, are not allowed to travel to affected areas. At-risk countries include China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Italy, Iran and Japan.
The emergence of the latest three coronavirus cases in Bangkok shows just how vulnerable the country is to the threat of an uncontrollable epidemic. The new cases were reported early yesterday at a hospital in the Don Muang area, heightening fears of a sustained local outbreak. The day before, Mahidol University issued a statement confirming that one of its personnel who had returned from an at-risk country had developed suspicious symptoms. This person, who is under 14-day quarantine, is still being monitored.
The three new Don Muang cases, which brought the country’s total to 40 as of yesterday, are all members of the same family, according to B.Care Hospital.
An elderly couple checked into a hospital exhibiting pneumonia-like symptoms with a cough. They had just returned from Hokkaido in Japan, one of the world’s Covid-19 hotspots, yet they deliberately lied to the hospital about where they had been. When doctors pressed hard for the answer, they finally admitted the truth, but by that time their grandson, who had not travelled with them, had tested positive for the disease. This caused a stir at his school which is being disinfected and his schoolmates sent home. Moreover, a bank where the boy’s father works has also had to close for three days as a precaution.
About 30 hospital staff who came into contact with the elderly couple during the early stages of their treatment are, despite so far having tested negative, under quarantine.
The Don Muang contagion occurred at a time when the country has raised Covid-19’s status to that of a “dangerous communicable disease”. The national committee on communicable diseases under Deputy PM and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said by listing Covid-19 as such, health authorities will be able to respond more quickly to contain the virus in the event of local transmission. This is a very timely coincidence indeed.
The Don Muang cases have rattled public confidence about the country’s disease control abilities. Previously, Mr Anutin insisted that Thailand “is in the second stage [of an outbreak] where contagion is still very limited”. He assured the authorities were ready to implement measures to keep the situation that way.
Previously, suspicions had been mounting over the possibility of a cover-up as the tally of infections had not changed for a considerable period of time. But now there is a real possibility that the number may rise and all parties involved must prepare for the worst. What is needed are strict outbreak control regulations and rigorous enforcement.
The authorities have voiced concerns that some people may be hiding the truth in the way the Don Muang grandparents did. It’s a must that the authorities ensure that people who defy the regulations are aware of the harsh penalties they could face if they fail to comply with the rules — one-year imprisonment and a 100,000baht fine. Enforcement of such penalties would certainly help contain the spread of the virus.
Now the authorities have to race against time to track down more people possibly infected by the elderly Don Muang couple, whose reckless attitude makes it even more difficult to handle a disease that has infected over 80,000 people around the world, killing thousands. There were more than 220 travellers on the same flight back from Japan as them, as well as flight crew, for example, who may need testing.
As the world does battle with the deadly virus, the public must realise that they too have a responsibility to help curb the disease.