A Thai woman recently returned from Ebola-stricken Liberia has been cleared by doctors who determined she did not have the deadly virus.
Dr Narong Sahametapat, permanent secretary for health, said Friday a checkup done on the 48-year-old woman at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute last night found she was not running a fever - a early indicator of Ebola Virus Disease infection - and there were no signs of the Ebola virus in her bloodstream.
A returning passenger cleans her hands at a health station set up at Suvarnabhumi airport. The airport has stationed doctors on scene and is using infra-red cameras to detect fevers as preventative steps to prevent Ebola spreading in Thailand. (Bangkok Post photo)
However, he said, the woman would continue to be watched, as well as 13 of her family members.
The woman arrived into Bangkok on Wednesday and went to see a doctor at a private hospital because she was afraid that she might have contracted the virus, Dr Narong said at a press conference Thursday.
Doctors diagnosed her with a skin rash and believed then she was likely safe because of the lack of a fever.
Thai officials have put in place safeguards to detect the disease at airports and have implemented procedures to contain any outbreak.
The Department of Medical Sciences and the Department of Medical Services were assigned to handle diagnoses and statements on EVD and a subcommittee was formed to work with medical institutes at universities to contain the disease, he said.
Dr Narong also said that if EVD patients were spotted in Bangkok, they would be treated at Rajavithi, Nopparat Rajathanee and Children's hospitals as well as Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute. Patients in other provinces will receive care at provincial medical centers.
He said relevant measures to tackle EVD would adapt to situations and the first priority for now was the safety of medical personnel. The health permanent secretary said that the safety of doctors and nurses would show Thailand can effectively cope with the disease.