Thailand continues to have MERS infections

A 71-year-old Omani man infected with MERS arrived in Bangkok on January 23 last.

Thai authorities on January 24 confirmed the second case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) in the country.

According to Thai Minister of Health Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, MERS-infected patients are a 71-year-old man from Oman, who arrived in Bangkok on January 23. This patient arrived in Thailand on January 22, after a week of treatment for cough and cold in Oman.

In June last year, Thailand recorded the first case of MERS-CoV infection.

The Thai Ministry of Health has now identified 37 cases of exposure to the Omani patient who are at high risk of infection. Among them are the patient's son and 11 hospital staff, all of whom are under close supervision.

In June last year, Thailand recorded the first case of MERS-CoV infection, which was also a patient from Oman when he came to Bangkok to treat heart disease. This patient was later cured. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), MERS-CoV viruses can be spread directly from infected or infected individuals at health facilities and in direct contact with camels.

So far, MERS has been discovered in more than 25 countries around the world, in which Southeast Asia has Thailand and the Philippines. The country has the largest number of MERS cases, Saudi Arabia, when the Middle East country recorded a total of 1,286 cases, of which 551 died. People infected with MERS often have symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and can lead to pneumonia or kidney failure.