MERS – Thailand takes precautions

THE Thailand Ministry
of Public Health has
released a statement
confirming that there is
no spread of the Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS) virus in the country.
However, precautionary
measures have been put
in place.
“Thai Airways has
implemented preventive
MERS measures, including
monitoring passengers
before check-in. In some
cases passengers may
be required to present a
doctor’s letter of health
certification,” Tourism
Authority of Thailand
said in a statement.
Checkpoints with thermalimaging
cameras have been
installed at international
airports to scan inbound
passengers.
Officers are also handing
out face masks, hand
wash and pamphlets
containing preventive
measures to tourists at
check-in counters, baggage
carousels and departure
lounges.
“Surveillance measures
will also be implemented
at venues where there are
international conferences
with attendance from MERSaffected
areas.”
A 75-year-old man from
the Middle East tested
positive for MERS on June
18, and in connection with
this patient, 59 people
were being monitored for
the virus.
The World Health
Organization lists fever,
cough, diarrhoea and
shortness of breath as
common symptoms of the
disease, with pneumonia as
a “common finding, though
not always present”.
As of June, 138 cases of
MERS have been confirmed
in South Korea (and one in
China), and 36% of reported
patients have died.HE Thailand Ministry
of Public Health has
released a statement
confirming that there is
no spread of the Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS) virus in the country.
However, precautionary
measures have been put
in place.
“Thai Airways has
implemented preventive
MERS measures, including
monitoring passengers
before check-in. In some
cases passengers may
be required to present a
doctor’s letter of health
certification,” Tourism
Authority of Thailand
said in a statement.
Checkpoints with thermalimaging
cameras have been
installed at international
airports to scan inbound
passengers.
Officers are also handing
out face masks, hand
wash and pamphlets
containing preventive
measures to tourists at
check-in counters, baggage
carousels and departure
lounges.
“Surveillance measures
will also be implemented
at venues where there are
international conferences
with attendance from MERSaffected
areas.”
A 75-year-old man from
the Middle East tested
positive for MERS on June
18, and in connection with
this patient, 59 people
were being monitored for
the virus.
The World Health
Organization lists fever,
cough, diarrhoea and
shortness of breath as
common symptoms of the
disease, with pneumonia as
a “common finding, though
not always present”.
As of June, 138 cases of
MERS have been confirmed
in South Korea (and one in
China), and 36% of reported
patients have died.