A GERMAN and a British man who entered Thailand via Test & Go procedure have initially tested positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus in Chiang Mai with confirmation now awaited and both have been hospitalised, Matichon newspaper said today (Dec. 26).
This northern province’s Governor Mr. Prajon Pratsakul together with Dr. Waranyu Chamnongprasartporn, deputy chief of public health, and Dr. Saowanee Wibulsanti, head of the Office of Disease Prevention and Control 1, told the press that the German tourist, 22, who arrived in Thailand on Dec. 17, had been double jabbed with Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer shots.Â
He came to Chiang Mai on Dec. 20 and went trekking, rafting, had a massage and stopped by at a coffee shop before the onset of symptoms. He is now being treated at Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai after an initial test indicated Omicron infection with confirmation from the Department of Medical Sciences pending. Those who had close contact with him are being tracked.
The British tourist, 64, arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Dec. 18 and after getting a negative result from the RT-PCR test came to Chiang Mai the next day. He stayed at a house he rented for a long term. On Dec. 23-24 he started having symptoms of coronavirus and after getting a positive result from an ATK test went to Doi Saket Hospital for examination. Initial test showing Omicron infection came at 8 p.m yesterday and confirmation is now awaited.
Three people had close contact with him with two testing negative but the result of the third one pending. Officials are now tracking people who sat close to him during his flight. Â
A taxi driver who had close contact with him is being tracked. The taxi driver’s ex-wife who he visited has undergone a test and got a negative result while his housekeeper has also reported for a test.
Meanwhile in Buriram a 46-year-old British man who came to see his wife has tested positive for Covid-19 with an 80-year-old woman catching it from him while 14 others who are at high risk of doing so have been quarantined at their homes.
He had arrived in Thailand on Dec. 20 and got a negative result at the screening point. However on Dec. 24 he had high fever and his wife took him to Buriram Centre Hospital for treatment. He samples have been sent to the Medical Science Centre in Nakhon Ratchasima to determine whether the infection is the Omicron variant.
Meanwhile the Public Health Ministry said this morning that there were 2,532 Covid cases and 22 deaths over the past 24 hours taking the cumulative confirmed total since the start of the pandemic to 2,209,970, Amarin TV said.
Of this batch of cases 2,412 emerged in surveillance and healthcare systems, 37 found through proactive search in communities, 23 fell sick in prisons and detention centres while 60 overseas arrivals tested positive.
Another 3,771 patients have been cured taking total recoveries since the start of the pandemic to 2,152,528 while 35,862 patients are still undergoing treatment.
Today’s 22 fatalities raised the death toll to 21,580.
From Feb. 28 to Dec. 25 altogether 102,561,331 of vaccines have been administered.
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Top: The Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organisation less than a month ago. It has since spread to countries around the world. Image: iStock and published by Web.musc.edu
Home Page: Chiang Mai Governor Prajon Pratsakul flanked by two senior officials at today’s press briefing. Photo: Matichon
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