Coronavirus
- Covid-19 News
Medical staff dance with coronavirus patients in Wuhan – VIDEO
While Wuhan and other Chinese cities struggle with shortages and poor quarantine conditions, Chinese state media have been keen to find a brighter side to the deadly coronavirus outbreak. The People’s Daily published a video on Tuesday that had been widely circulated on social media, showing mask-wearing patients at an unidentified makeshift hospital in Wuhan trying to lift their spirits…
- Covid-19 News
Virus cases on Japan cruise ship climb to 135
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess has climbed to 135. Sixty-five new cases were confirmed on the ship, which has been quarantined off the coast of Yokohama since February 5. Patients showing symptoms have been transferred to local hospitals. Authorities have allowed some of the tourists to return home. The government says there were…
- Economy News
With 33 coronavirus cases, Thailand still welcomes Chinese tourists
Despite the confirmation of a new case of the 2019nCov coronavirus today, Thailand has neither restricted Chinese tourists from entering the kingdom nor dropped its visa-on-arrival fee waiver, implemented to attract Chinese. Thailand hasn’t imposed any bans on tourists or travellers since the outbreak of the virus, though officials are screening passengers on arrival on flights from China, and now…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Health: Don’t panic, coronavirus isn’t airborne
Thai Health said today that the 2019nCoV coronavirus is not airborne and urged the public not to panic. Dr Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, an advisor to the Department of Disease Control, says the virus has yet to infect people via airborne transmission. It is transmitted by droplets from coughing and sneezing, which although they can travel short distances through the air, rely…
- Covid-19 News
Thousands allowed to leave cruise ship quarantined in Hong Kong
Around 3,600 passengers and crew on the cruise ship World Dream, quarantined for four days in Hong Kong amid fears some staff could have contracted the 2019nCoV coronavirus, have been allowed to leave. Another cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, where dozens of cases have been confirmed, remains in quarantine off Japan. Authorities reported on Saturday that 64 people had been…
- World News
New criteria push the number of suspected virus cases to 615
The director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said on Friday there were 615 people in Thailand suspected of carrying the 2019-nCoV coronavirus. He attributed the rise in suspected cases to updated criteria generating more details and redefining the term “suspected.” The number of confirmed cases has risen to 32 as of today, 10 of whom have recovered and…
- Covid-19 News
Seven more coronavirus cases found in Thailand
Seven new cases of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus were discovered in Thailand yesterday, including three Thais and four Chinese. The new cases brought the total reported in the country to 32, the third highest number of infections outside of China, Japan and Singapore. The global death toll from the virus is now at least 805, surpassing the number of fatalities from…
- Covid-19 News
2 year old girl hospitalised in Israel over virus after arriving from Thailand
A two year old girl who recently flew from Thailand to Israel is in hospital due to fears she might be infected with the 19nCoV coronavirus. It isn’t clear whether the girl is an Israeli citizen. Hospital staff say she’s suffering from fever and diarrhea, and “this is currently a condition that requires hospitalization in isolation.” Israel’s Health Ministry yesterday…
- Việt Nam
Việt Nam nuôi cấy thành công virus corona mới
Hôm nay Viện Vệ sinh Dịch tễ Trung ương công bố vừa nuôi cấy và phân lập thành công virus corona mới trong phòng thí nghiệm. Đại diện Viện Vệ sinh Dịch tễ Trung ương cho biết việc nuôi cấy này sẽ tạo điều kiện thuận lợi để xét nghiệm nhanh các trường hợp nhiễm và nghi nhiễm nCoV. Nhờ…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Health Minister apologises for his comments that ‘farang’ should be kicked out
UPDATE: The Thai Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has had a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease since this morning, after being panned in social media for his comments at a government PR gathering to promote the wearing of face-masks following the coronavirus outbreak in China. The minister has apologised for his earlier comments about ‘farang’ , when he said that they…
- Covid-19 News
Health minister says no travel ban
Thailand’s public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul now says imposing a travel ban on Chinese citizens won’t help the government’s fight against coronavirus 2019nCov epidemic. Speaking at a news conference yesterday, Anutin said the infection is being found even in countries and territories that have restricted or closed their borders to Chinese travelers. Instead of a travel ban, he says, the…
- Covid-19 News
Kick foreigners, not wearing face-masks, out of Thailand – Minister
Thailand’s mercurial Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has slammed foreign tourists who aren’t wearing face masks, or refuse to wear them when offered a free one offered by the government, says they “should be kicked out.” He was handing out government freebies this morning at the Siam BTS station as part of the Thai government’s education about coronavirus. “They don’t…
- Covid-19 News
Tourist police make video to encourage “Chinese family”
Facing a massive slump in tourism from China, the Tourist Police Bureau has produced a video for Chinese to boost the morale of people dealing with the Novel Coronavirus. The video has drawn plenty of praise and shares since being posted on social media yesterday. Tourist Police Commissioner Chadtha Komonwattana says the bureau is deeply concerned about the virus situation,…
- Covid-19 News
Cruise ships save the day in Koh Samui
It’s Europeans to the rescue in Koh Samui, as the last group of Chinese tourists for the foreseeable future left on Tuesday. Two cruise ships brought thousands of European visitors yesterday to save this southern resort island’s struggling economy. About 3,500 passengers, mostly from Britain and Germany, arrived aboard the German-flagged AIDAbella and the British-registered Marella Discovery. Groups of tourists…
- Covid-19 News
First Thai to catch and recover from Coronavirus tells people not to worry
The first Thai to contract, and recover from, the Novel Coronavirus is giving the thumbs up and telling the public not to panic. 73 year old Jaimuay Sae-ing was interviewed on the Palang Pracharat party’s Facebook page yesterday. Jaimuay fully recovered from the virus after nine days in Nakhon Pathom hospital, around 50 kilometres west of Bangkok, under the care…
- Covid-19 News
First locally infected virus patient cured, discharged
Thailand’s first locally infected victim of the Novel Coronavirus has been given a clean bill of health and discharged from hospital. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today that the taxi driver, the first person to be infected in Thailand had been treated, cleared and discharged by Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute. All relatives and those who were in close contact…
- Covid-19 News
Four evacuees from Wuhan kept in naval hospital for observation
Four* of the 138 Thai evacuees from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak, were taken to the hospital at the Royal Thai Navy’s Sattahip Naval Base for observation yesterday, after they were found to have a fever. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who was at Pattaya’s U-Tapao Airport last night to meet the evacuees,…
- Covid-19 News
Flight full of Thai evacuees from Wuhan arrives at U-tapao, four with fever
Four of the 138 Thais repatriated in an Air Asia jet from Wuhan last night were found to have a fever. The Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was at U-tapao airport, south of Pattaya, last night to welcome the 138 evacuees. Thai AirAsia flight FD571, carrying the 138 Thai passengers, landed at the navy airport in Ban Chang district in…
- Covid-19 News
Krabi health officials dismiss reports of 100 suspected virus patients
Days before PM Prayut Cha-ocha issued his ominous warning on spreading fake news about the Coronavirus outbreak, health officials of the Krabi Provincial Public Health Office (KPHO) refuted recent reports that 100 or more people are in isolation there on suspicion of being infected. The reports surfaced Saturday and appeared in several national news outlets, even including a “quote” from…
- Thailand News
Alarms raised after Hunan bird flu outbreak
The Livestock Development Department raised alarms yesterday in the wake of a bird flu outbreak in the Hunan province of China, just south of Hubei, the epicentre of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak. Director-general of the department Sorawit Thanito says provincial officials were ordered to advise local farmers to prevent the disease and apply medicine in high-risk areas. According to Sorawit,…
- Covid-19 News
PM calls fake virus news “biggest threat”
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told a press briefing today that fake news is the worst threat to the public regarding the Wuhan Coronavirus and warned those who spread it will be “dealt with” decisively, and in accordance with the law. The PM reassured the public that the government can contain the spread of the virus and is fully equipped and…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Lion Air offers Thais stuck in China free “Fly them back home” flights
Thai Lion Air, the Thai subsidiary of the Indonesian budget airline, is saying it will help repatriate Thais living in various cities in China, where air transportation is still allowed, under the airline’s “Fly them back home” project, free of charge. They are planning the flights home between February 5 and 8. “Passengers will be given a thorough examination as…
- Covid-19 News
Study predicts Coronavirus will grow exponentially; Philippines, NZ enact travel bans
While the list of countries banning entry to travellers from China is growing, Thailand continues to resist. The Philippines yesterday became the latest country to block entry to travellers, including those from Hong Kong and Macau, after a Chinese man died in Manila of the Novel Coronavirus, the first death outside of China from the pneumonia-like illness. Philippine President Duterte…
- Covid-19 News
Thai doctors claim drug cocktail treats Coronavirus
Doctors in Bangkok believe they’ve discovered a cocktail of drugs that effectively treats the Wuhan Coronavirus. At a media briefing yesterday, the two doctors claimed that a combination of flu and anti-AIDS drugs has been shown effective in treating patients who tested positive for the virus. The two doctors from Rajavithi Hospital, Kriangsak Atipornwanich and Subsai Kongsangdao, declared the combination…
- Phuket News
Phuket, Bangkok and Chiang Mai hard hit over ‘palpable’ tourism drop
The 2019-nCoV coronavirus, the official name for the Wuhan or Novel Corononavirus, is resulting in dozens of high-season flights to Thai southern beach resorts being cancelled. The virus is already deemed an international public health emergency by the World Health Organisation. “While Patong survived and thrived after SARS, the tsunami and a few army coups, this virus is stripping our…
- Phuket News
Phuket’s governor appeals for calm, issues warning over fake virus news
Amid the flurry of news stories about the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak, Phuket’s Governor Phakaphong urged people this week to beware of fake news and reports that don’t cite their sources. “Fake news has been shared on social media, making people worried and damaging Phuket’s tourism image. Please check before believing it, reduce the panic.” One report that went viral this…
- Phuket News
Health officials now checking Chinese tourists in Phuket hotels
Health officials in Phuket are checking up and visiting Chinese tourists at local hotels over worries about the Wuhan Coronavirus. Though there are no confirmed cases on the island, officials are performing the checkups as precautions intensify to contain the spread of the virus. Phuket’s deputy governor says officials are now taking more proactive measures to combat the coronavirus, with…
- Covid-19 News
Washington imposes travel ban, quarantines
In a dramatic reversal, the Trump administration yesterday announced severe travel restrictions and quarantines that officials say are meant to limit the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus. The move is an about-face after the government initially downplayed the potential risks. The administration declared a national public health emergency and, from tomorrow at 5pm, will bar all non-citizens who recently visited…
- Việt Nam
Cách phân biệt virus corona và cảm lạnh thông thường
Để phân biệt được những dấu hiệu của việc mắc virus corona hay cảm lạnh thông thường, các chuyên gia cũng đã đưa ra một số điểm cần lưu ý. Cảm lạnh là rất phổ biến mỗi khi giao mùa, thay đổi thời tiết với những triệu chứng như cảm lạnh và sốt, bạn cần sử dụng thuốc hạ sốt…
- Tourism News
Pattaya tour group businesses shutting up shop for a month
Tourism businesses in Pattaya, that cater specifically to the Chinese market and tour groups, are preparing to shut down for a full month. Despite technically being the high season for tourism, and the middle of the Chinese New Year annual holidays, the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak has already had a profound impact. The Chinese tourists who managed to get…
