Thai citizens, including students, stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of novel coronavirus outbreak, will be flown back to Thailand by February 4^th, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutacha told members of the House of Representatives today.

Responding to an interpellation from the Opposition, Mr. Sathit said that Thai authorities are awaiting confirmation, from the Chinese government, that the evacuation can proceed, adding that he anticipates Thai citizens in Wuhan will be home by next Tuesday.

Public health inspector, Dr. Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, today refuted a report claiming that a female Chinese tourist, who arrived in Chiang Mai on Tuesday from Guangzhou, had died having contracted coronavirus related pneumonia.

He said that health officials have interviewed the victim’s friends, who said that the victim, whose name was withheld, did not show any flu-like symptoms, such as coughing, fatigue or fever.

Dr. Thongchai added that health officials have taken tissue samples from the victim’s lung for laboratory tests, and a full autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of her death.

The victim’s four Chinese friends, who travelled with her, are in normal health.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who joined Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha when he inspected the work of health officials at Suvarnabhumi international airport to screen passengers for symptoms, confirmed that there was no coronavirus case nor a fatality resulting from coronavirus infection in Chiang Mai, as had been rumoured.

Starting today (Wednesday), officials at Chiang Mai international airport are screening all tourists arriving from all Chinese cities, instead of just those from Guangzhou, as had been the case.

Ten flights from ten cities in China arrive in Chiang Mai each day.