Thailand keeps close watch on Coronavirus

BANGKOK, February 15 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Disease Control under the Ministry of Public Health has been on high alert against Coronavirus, keeping a close watch, in particular, on pilgrims who have returned from the Middle East, but no infection of the deadly virus has been detected in the country so far. In response to reports that there have been 11 Coronavirus cases globally, with the patients suffering from an acute respiratory problem, pneumonia and kidney failure, Dr. Prasert Thongcharoen, an advisor to the Department of Disease Control, insisted on Friday that Thai health authorities have kept monitoring the situation. Dr. Prasert acknowledged that the Thai health authorities have particularly kept a close watch on people from the Middle East, as the Coronavirus cases were reportedly relatives of those who had earlier traveled to Qatar. Dr. Prasert told journalists that Thailand has also been, thus, closely monitoring Thai-Muslim pilgrims who recently returned from their hajj in the Middle East, confirming, however, that no infection of the Coronavirus has been found in the country so far. According to the advisor, the Department of Disease Control has kept a close watch on the bird flu situation in neighbouring countries as well, especially in areas near the Thai-Cambodian border, although there have been no reports of any dead poultry or any human patient who had close contacts with sick fowl in Thailand. (TNA)