THE PUBLIC Health Ministry this afternoon (Dec. 8) confirmed that two Thai women who returned to the country from Nigeria on Nov. 24 had been infected with the new Covid variant Omicron but have now recovered, Matichon newspaper said.
Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, head of the Disease Control Department, said although the World Health Organisation had declared Omicron a variant of concern on Nov. 26, as several countries, include those in Europe, had detected the strain at the beginning of November or even earlier a retest of all the travellers who came in before Nov. 24 and got a positive RT-PCR test result was conducted.
This led to finding the two Omicron cases with the Medical Sciences Department confirming 100 percent that the two Thai women, one 36 and the other 46, were infected with the new variant.
They had gone to Nigeria to attend a religious event and upon arriving on Nov. 24 were quarantined as test results were awaited and upon testing positive were given medical treatment.
They had few symptoms and after being treated are now free of infection have been discharged, he said, adding that they cannot now spread the infection to anyone.
“Information from experts concur that Omicron is relatively mild. The World Health Organization has confirmed that not a single person has died from Omicron. All data must be analysed thoroughly, it is not possible to use a single piece of information, and the ministry will continue to inform the public,” Dr. Opas said.
Asked whether the two women had been vaccinated, Dr. Opas said it had been initially determined they had been vaccinated but with what vaccine or vaccines had yet to be found out.
However he said the two women rarely wore face masks when participating in activities in Nigeria. While Thais do wear these masks within the country, they should not be tempted to not do so when they go to some other countries where most people tend not to wear them.
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Top: A man walking past a representative image of the Omicron variant. Photo: Businesstoday.in
Home Page: Dr Opas revealing details of the two new Omicron cases. Photo: Matichon
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