BANGKOK – The Thai Ministry of Public Health has assured the public that it has undertaken effective measures to monitor and prevent the new coronavirus.
Thailand participated in the meeting on the virus convened by the Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) via teleconference on Thursday. Thai representatives updated the committee on the situation in the country where four coronavirus patients have been reported.
Commenting on the issue during a press conference on alcohol control and policy with WHO officials on Friday, Deputy Public Health Minister SathitPitutecha said Thailand was ready to follow the WHO advice and would fully cooperate if a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) was declared.
In the meeting, the Committee concluded that the event did not constitute a PHEIC, but the members agreed on the urgency of the situation.
Since the outbreak was reported, Thailand has introduced health quarantine measures and detected the first coronavirus-infected outside China last week.
Sathit gave an assurance to the Thai public of the Ministry’s procedures to handle the situation.
Although there have been increased numbers of cases, Sathit urged Thai people not to panic and wait until the WHO had further advice.
The Ministry would give a clear action plan once a PHEIC was announced, he said.
