Thai Health Personnel Ordered to Watch out for MERS-CoV Patients

BANGKOK, June 1 (TNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has instructed its officials at all provincial health offices and hospitals to look for people possibly infected with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) as three patients of the disease were first reported in South Korea. Two of the South Krean patients are a couple. The 68-year-old husband returned from the Middle East and received care from his 76-year-old wife. The third patient shared the same room with the first patient at a hospital. Later 10 more patients were reported and linked with the first patient. Dr Surachet Sathitiniramai, deputy permanent secretary for health, said the Ministry of Public Health has been watching out for MERS-CoV patients since infection was first reported in the Middle East in 2012. Although there has not been a patient in Thailand, the ministry has ordered officials to look for patients with influenza-like symptoms, check the health of Thai hajj pilgrims and vaccinate them, and educate people who will go to risk areas on self-protection. About 10,400 Thai Muslims plan to perform the hajj in the Saudi city of Mecca this year and their trips will start in mid-August, he said. MERS-CoV causes acute respiratory infection and produces similar symptoms as those of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The World Health Organization reported 29 MERS-Cov patients in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran and South Korea in May and five of them died. The last three patients are in South Korea. From 2012 to May 25 this year, there are 1,139 patients in 24 countries and 431 of them died. (TNA)