MERS patient in Thailand recovering

BANGKOK, June 20 (TNA) - The Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, under the Ministry of Public Health, reports that Thailand's first confirmed patient of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has been recovering. Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute Director Dr. Jariya Saengsajja told journalists of the update, stressing that the 75-year-old male patient from Oman has remained quarantined at her institute, together with three members of his family in order to prevent the fatal virus from spreading to other people. Dr. Aphichai Mongkhol, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Medical Science also told reporters that a son of the foreign patient is suffering from normal cold and there is no need for him to undertake medical analysis. However, all the 58 staff of private-run Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, where the MERS patient was first treated before having been transferred to the state-run Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, have been placed under quarantine and asked not to communicate with others for 14 days, as they had come into close contact with the Omani patient. Bumrungrad Hospital Vice Chair Dr. Charnvit Tantipipat told a press conference that the 75-year-old patient was first admitted to his hospital on June 15 and was transferred to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in the early morning of June 18, after the man was found to have suffered from MERS, confirming that three relatives of the patient remain in good health. Meanwhile, the Tourism Council of Thailand issued a statement, saying that it has full confidence that the Thai government is able to prevent the deadly virus from spreading, urging international tourists, members of the council and the general public not to be panic, but following updated news and advices from the Thai Ministry of Public Health regularly for their safety, while also taking good care of their health. (TNA)