As of Sunday, there have been eight confirmed coronavirus cases in Thailand, five of which have already returned to China, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul disclosed today.
He also said that 84 Chinese tourists are under observation, including 24 who were detected with a fever at airport screening on their arrival, and 60 who went to hospital themselves after developing symptoms associated with coronavirus.
45 of them, however, have been discharged and have returned to China, leaving 39 still under observation.
The health minister assured the public that the current preventive measures are sufficient for the time being adding, however, that they might be strengthened if the coronavirus situation worsens.
Disease Control Department chief, Dr. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, said today that person-to-person transmission of the virus is not easy, after has followed the condition of 40 people, including medical personnel, who have been in close contact with infected patients without becoming infected themselves.
Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, meanwhile, said that the shutdown of several Chinese cities, and the travel ban on all tour groups out of China by the Chinese government, are expected to cost Thailand about 50 billion baht in lost tourism revenue.
