Coronavirus: Thailand criticises patient who concealed travel history as three new cases confirmed

Thailand reported three new cases of the deadly coronavirus on Wednesday, taking total infections to 40 and prompting health ministry officials to criticise a patient who did not disclose his travel history.

Two of the new patients – all of whom are Thai nationals – returned home from holiday in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and came into contact with the third patient, reportedly the couple’s eight-year-old grandson.

The male patient sought medical attention in Bangkok on February 23 suffering a cough and a fever. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and admitted to hospital but did not disclose his travel history until the following day, B Care Medical Centre said in a statement.

He came into contact with 30 medical personnel at the hospital, who later tested negative for the virus and were in self-quarantine at home.

“The patient’s concealment and denial of the overseas trip resulted in 30 hospital officials who came into close contact with him being put at risk of contracting the Covid-19 infection,” the hospital said. “The concealment has had a negative impact on society, other people and your own family members.”

Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the man had risked becoming a “super-spreader” – an incident of large transmission from a single source.

“We have to criticise this case … it creates a lot of trouble for us,” he said.

Anutin also said Covid-19 has been classified as a dangerous communicable disease, meaning anybody with suspect symptoms after visiting a high-risk country must report to the authorities within three hours. Visitors who lie about symptoms or travel history could be deported.

Anutin said Thailand is not yet at the stage of banning incoming flights from affected countries but added that “we’re going to fight with all the tools that we have”.

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In an earlier Facebook post, Anutin wrote that Thailand had detected more suspected cases and groups at risk of contracting the disease, as well as infections from travellers returning home after visiting high-risk countries.

“Those who are planning to travel abroad in this period, if it’s possible to avoid that, please avoid it,” Anutin wrote. “We are entering a full war with Covid-19.”

Meanwhile, Japan reported on Wednesday its sixth death from the Covid-19 disease, on the northern island of Hokkaido. The country’s Health Minister Katsunobu Kato also confirmed 45 passengers who were allowed to disembark the Diamond Princess cruise ship have developed coronavirus symptoms and will be asked to take tests for the virus.

The government has contacted 813 former passengers of the Diamond Princess. About 970 were allowed off the boat last week after testing negative for the virus, but several have subsequently been found to be carrying the disease, bringing the total number of cases aboard the cruise ship to 691.

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The ministry found “45 people had certain symptoms”, Kato told parliament.

“We asked all of them [who have symptoms] to see a doctor and to take tests,” he said.

Japan has come under increasing pressure over its handling of the crisis on the vessel, particularly after it emerged some passengers allowed to disembark after testing negative were subsequently diagnosed with the virus.

Those allowed off the ship after a 14-day quarantine were asked to stay inside, but no formal measures restricting their movement were imposed.

As of Wednesday, at least two former passengers in Japan were confirmed infected despite previously testing negative.

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Foreign passengers who said they had initially tested negative have also been diagnosed with the virus after being repatriated to Australia and Hong Kong.

Opposition lawmakers have blamed the government for failing to implement a fresh 14-day quarantine after the passengers left the cruise ship. Countries that repatriated their citizens have required them to undergo another isolation period, suggesting they believe the on-ship quarantine was flawed.

In the Philippines, Catholic worshippers marked Ash Wednesday with a bow and a sprinkling of dust instead of a cross being daubed on their foreheads as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.

Since the outbreak, which has resulted in three confirmed cases and one death in the Philippines, churches have also discouraged worshippers from holding hands during mass.

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“It makes me feel safe,” said Wendy Tamidles, a 19-year-old student.

She was among thousands of people, some wearing surgical masks, who lined up at Baclaran church in Manila for services on Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the run-up to Easter, and includes Catholics having crosses drawn in ash on their foreheads.

The Philippines is overwhelmingly Catholic, with some 80 per cent of its people said to be believers. Its unique brand of the religion also includes gruesome annual re-enactments of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

“We are being cautious so that the coronavirus won’t spread,” said Victorino Cueto, rector of Baclaran church.

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For at least one participant, 62-year-old, Roberto Moreno, the no-touch policy had no impact on the meaning of the day.

“The message is the same: we came from ash and to ash we shall return,” he said.

Additional reporting by Reuters and Bloomberg