The Public Health Ministry insists the rare form of tuberculosis that caused the fatal bleeding which led to the death of 28-year-old singer Butsaran Thongchiew, aka Numtarn The Star 5, is a non-transmissible disease.
Phalin Kamolwat, director of the Department of Disease Control's Bureau of Tuberculosis on Wednesday said the tuberculosis was located behind her sinuses, and while rare, was normally treatable with a low rate of mortality.
"Above all, this rare form of TB is not spread from one person to other. The infection develops within the body of the patient. First the disease will start from the lung and then spread to the sinus tissue where there are copious small veins," Dr Phalin told the media on Wednesday.
The press briefing was held at Siriraj Hospital, where the late singer died on June 14.
Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, said doctors had passed a camera lens behind Namtarn's sinuses, and noticed an abnormal colouring of 0.5-1 centimetre of tissue there.
"The tissue was removed and it bled. Tests revealed she had had the rare tuberculosis behind her sinuses. The disease might not have shown symptoms, Dr Prasit said.
In 2017, about 80,000 Thais were diagnosed with tuberculosis. He said 83% had the disease in their lungs and the other 17% had it elsewhere.
Of the 17%, only 1% had the disease behind the sinuses. Worldwide, reports showed about one-third of such patients showed no symptoms, Dr Prasit said.