Thailand Confirms First Case of MERS

Thailand has confirmed its first case of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus on Friday in a 75-year-old male patient.

According to Reuters, the businessman arrived in Bangkok from Oman to seek out medial treatment for a heart problem at a private hospital on Monday.

"The patient came to us tired, coughing ... there was no fever," a doctor from the private hospital said. "So we X-rayed his chest ... we found that he could have two things, a heart condition or the MERS virus."

The medical team then tested the patient for the virus and on Friday, the Thai Health Ministry officials confirmed that the man was infected with MERS.

"The private hospital has already been on alert about (MERS) so the staff had isolated the patient and three of his family members from the start," said Dr. Rajata Rajatanavin, the Thai Public Health Minister said. "We confirmed that he has contacted MERS...his condition is stable."

The medical experts were able to diagnose the patient via a phlegm sample. Since the confirmation took four days, officials are worried that the deadly and contagious virus has spread. The patient is currently quarantined at the state-run Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute.

59 people who have come into contact with the patient are either being quarantined or monitored at the hospital or at home. These people include two taxi drivers, passengers on the same flight, and hotel and medical staff.

"The high-risk group is the passengers who were seated in front and behind him on the plane," said Dr. Tanarak Plipat, director of the Bureau of Epidemiology.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the private hospital is very popular among Middle Eastern patients who want high-quality yet relatively affordable care. Thailand is a popular destination for international patients. Every year, Thailand makes at least $4 billion from medical tourism, official data revealed.

There is currently a MERS outbreak in South Korea. That outbreak, which the World Health Organization (WHO) stated is not a world emergency, has infected 166 people and killed 24.

Senior government health official Kwon Deok-cheol stated that the outbreak appears to be easing. He stated, "As things stand now, we believe that the outbreak is easing. But we need to watch those hospitals under our scrutiny to see if there will be further transmissions."

The first case of MERS in South Korea was reported on May 20.