Public health authorities were expected to announce the results of novel coronavirus tests on samples from two ill taxi drivers on Friday afternoon.

Dr Sopon Iamsirithavorn, director of the Bureau of General Communicable Diseases, told reporters on Friday morning that the results were coming from the Medical Sciences Department and Chulalongkorn University.

The two cabbies each picked up Chinese tourists, later fell ill and sought treatment two days ago. The tourists had arrived in Thailand before the Chinese government suspended all outbound trips by its citizens.

The test results would reveal if human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus had started in Thailand. Such transmissions had already been confirmed in Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United States, Dr Sopon said.

In Thailand there have been 14 confirmed cases of the illness. Seven patients were cured and discharged. Another 280 people are being closely monitored, according to the Public Health Ministry.