The government on Tuesday reported nine new cases of the novel coronavirus -- quarantined Thai nationals who recently returned from Oman, South Sudan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) -- raising the total to 3,700.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said six of the cases were army engineers aged 25-49 who returned from South Sudan on Oct 12.
Their infections were confirmed by a second test on day 3 after their arrival. They were first quarantined in Chon Buri province and then admitted to Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok.
Two cases recently flew back from the UAE. One is a male student aged 22 who arrived on Oct 9. His infection was detected by a second test on day 7. He was quarantined in Bangkok and later admitted to the Central Chest Institute in Nonthaburi province.
The other returnee from the UAE is a masseuse aged 25. She was first diagnosed with Covid-19 on Sept 1 and returned on Oct 9.
She was confirmed to still have the disease by a first test on day 7 and was the only one of the nine new cases who showed symptoms; she was coughing and suffering from a headache. She was also quarantined in Bangkok and later admitted to the Central Chest Institute.
The final case is a woman aged 26 who arrived from Oman on Oct 14 and was found to have contracted Covid-19 by a first test on day 4. She was quarantined in Chon Buri and later admitted to a hospital in Samut Prakan province.
Of the total 3,700 cases, 3,491 (94.35%) have recovered, including three discharged over the past 24 hours, while 150 patients were in hospitals. The local death toll remained unchanged at 59.
Global Covid-19 cases rose by 337,854 over the past 24 hours to 40.65 million. The worldwide death toll went up by 4,389 to 1.12 million.
The United States had the most cases at 8.46 million, up 57,327, and the most deaths at 225,222, up 442. India was second with 7.59 million cases, up 46,498, and 115,236 deaths, up 594. Thailand ranked 144th.
