Search on for flight passengers

Health authorities are hunting high and low for travellers who went to South Korea with a 25-year-old tour guide who tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday, taking the number of confirmed infections in the country to 41.

So far, only two people — who have been located and are in contact with the ministry — are believed to have been in close contact with the infected tour guide, according to Dr Sukum Karnchanapimai, permanent secretary for public health.

The ministry has not disclosed the total number of people who may have been in contact with the 41st patient. “Additional passengers who were on the same flight between Thailand and South Korea with the male tour guide are also being traced,” Dr Sukum told media during a daily press briefing yesterday.

The tour guide had sought medical treatment on Tuesday after developing a cough and fever, however, since yesterday’s positive confirmation, the man has been transferred to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province.

In another development, more state agencies have begun prohibiting their personnel from going on trips to countries affected by the Covid19 outbreak.

The Defence Ministry, the army, the House of Representatives and the Interior Ministry are among the state agencies that yesterday announced bans on their officials from taking overseas trips to countries where there was a high risk of contracting Covid-19.

Permanent secretary for the Defence Ministry, Nat Intharacharoen, told media that civil servants were being told to delay work trips to Covid-19 affected countries, except for extremely important events such as the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

Col Sirichan Ngathong, the army’s deputy spokeswoman, said the Royal Thai Army Medical Department had also issued travel guidelines for army personnel to follow to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, strict Covid-19 screening measures were being maintained at current joint military drills including Hanuman Guardian 2020 and Cobra Gold 2020, she said.