The Thai Ministry of Public Health today reported three new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 53, with 33 of them having recovered and returned home, one death and the remainder still in hospital.

One of the new cases is a 41-year old woman, who did not travel abroad but was in close contact with a Thai man, the 45th case, who has been treated at Rajavithi Hospital.

The other two cases are a 46-year old Thai woman who has just returned from Italy and her 47-year old husband, who was infected by her.

Public Health Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr. Yongyot Thammavuth said today that a total of 188 Thais, returning from working illegally in South Korea, including 88 men and 100 women, have now been quarantined at Sattahip naval base.

Of these, 20 need special care. 5 five of them are pregnant, 4 are children and 11 who are unwell, but none of them have a high fever.

Meanwhile, Suvarnabhumi international airport has tightened arrival screening measures, effective today, requiring all passengers coming from China, South Korea, Italy and Iran plus Macau and Hong Kong, which have been designated as Dangerous Infectious Disease zones, to show a blood test certificate and health insurance prior to arrival.

According to Sutheerawat Suwanwat, director of the airport, there were 513 international flights and 234 domestic flights using the airport on Monday, carrying 85,588 passengers.

There were five flights from South Korea, bringing in 745 passengers, including 233 Thai nationals.

The Thai returnees from South Korea are divided into two groups, illegal over stayers and those on valid visas, because Thai officials believe the illegal workers may have had less access to health care in South Korea.

Sutheerawat further explained that passengers from the high-risk areas are required to show a medical certificate, to prove that their blood test is negative for COVID-19 two days before boarding a flight to Thailand, have been quarantined for 14 days in those countries, have no fever before check-in and have health insurance coverage of not less than 100,000 US dollars.

Regarding Thai passengers returning from the high-risk countries and territories, in addition to the medical certificates, they will be subjected to a 14-day mandatory quarantine period at locations arranged by the state.

For other passengers, they will be quarantined for 14 days at the hotel or other lodging, where they have advance bookings, said public health inspector Dr Suthep Petmark, adding that 136 “high-risk” Thai returnees from South Korea were yesterday sent to Sattahip naval base, and 91 classified as “low risk” were sent to quarantine facilities in their home provinces.