Thailand found its first case of COVID-19’s South African variant but health authorities assured it was under control.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said the patient was a Thai man, 41, who arrived from South Africa. He was a gem vendor in Tanzania and stayed in South Africa for two months.
During the stay, he attended parties where people did not wear a face mask claiming there was not a new COVID-19 case.
The man returned on Jan 29 and was quarantined. His first COVID-19 test on Feb 3 turned out positive for the South African variant. He was admitted to a public hospital.
Forty-one people at his quarantine facility and hospital were in close contact with him but all of them wore protective gear.
Dr Opas said the South African variant compromised the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines but was still under control as patients’ symptoms were not severe and their number did not rise significantly. (TNA)
