NONTHABURI, 2 June 2015 – The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has affirmed that there are no patients in the country diagnosed with the Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus, while urging the public to exercise precautions on health and sanitation.
Department of Disease Control (DDC)’s Deputy Director-General Opart Karnkawinpong has revealed that the MOPH has executed strategies to prevent the outbreak of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Hospitals will be placed under monitoring for the MERS-CoV outbreak, while on the provincial level there have been preparations to handle the situation if an outbreak occurs. He added that the MOPH has been informing the public and travelers on this issue.
He has said that Thailand has been monitoring the spread of MERS-CoV continuously for the past 2-3 years, where approximately 20 suspected patients turned out to be only infected by the general influenza virus.
The MERS-CoV virus is currently found in 20 countries, with the latest fatalities reported in South Korea. The severity of the spread does not demand travel restrictions, due to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Travelers departing to countries where MERS-CoV are reported, such as South Korea, can still visit the countries as normal, though the MOPH advises extra sanitation precautions such as keeping distance from individuals who exhibit flu-like symptoms and to avoid crowded areas with many people coughing or sneezing.
Travelers arriving from countries with MERS-CoV infection are advised to observe their own symptoms. Travelers are advised to seek immediate medical attention and report their traveling history to doctors should any symptoms prolong beyond two days. Persons with chronic diseases should seek immediate medical attention when any flu symptoms exhibit, as they are likely to cause acute medical complications.
