Retired Thai returnee dies of Covid-19

Retired Thai returnee dies of Covid-19

From an art exhibition,
From an art exhibition, "The Knight in PPE Suit", at Ardel's Third Place Gallery in Bangkok from Nov 5 to Dec 12. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

A retired Thai official who returned recently from the UK and was diagnosed with Covid-19 has died, raising the death toll in Thailand from the disease to 60.

His death was announced on Friday, when eight new cases of coronavirus disease were also reported - five cases among quarantined arrivals from five countries, and three Myanmar truck drivers - raising the total number of detected infections to 3,818.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said the 60th death was a 66-year-old retired Thai official. He had diabetes and high blood pressure.

He arrived in Thailand from the United Kingdom on Oct 19 and stayed at a state quarantine facility in Chon Buri. He tested positive on Oct 20. He died on Nov 5, the CCSA said.

The last previous death from the disease in Thailand was on Sept 18, a man who had been working as an interpreter at the labour office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before he returned home and was hospitalised with Covid-19.

The eight new cases were one each from Switzerland, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, and three men from Myanmar.

A Swiss financial expert, 68, who arrived on Oct 22 and stayed at an alternative state quarantine facility in Bangkok tested negative on Oct 22, but positive on Nov 4 or Day 13. He was asymptomatic. He received treatment at a private hospital.

The case from India was a 36-year-old Indian employee of a tailor shop. He arrived on Oct 23 and stayed at an alternative state quarantine facility in Bangkok. On Nov 4, he tested positive, but was asymptomatic. He was admitted to a private hospital.

The third case, from Saudi Arabia, was a Thai woman, 56. She arrived on Oct 23 on the same flight as two previously confirmed cases. She stayed at a state quarantine facility in Bangkok. On Nov 3, she tested positive, but showed no symptoms.

The fourth case, from Ukraine was a Thai masseuse, 41. She arrived on Oct 31 and stayed at a state quarantine facility in Chon Buri province. On Nov 4, she tested positive and was admitted at a state hospital in Chon Buri.

The fifth case was from the Netherlands, a Thai woman, 36. She arrived on Oct 31 and was sent to a state quarantine facility in Bangkok. On Nov 4, she tested positive and was coughing.

The other three cases were Myanmar truck drivers, aged 28, 29, and 41, who crossed the border into Thailand on Oct 26. They tested positive the same day, but had no symptoms They were sent back to Myanmar for treatment. 

Of the total 3,818 cases, 3,639 (95.3%) have recovered, including 16 discharged over the past 24 hours, and 119 remain in hospitals. The death toll in Thailand has now risen to 60. 

Global Covid-19 cases rose by 604,248  over the previous 24 hours to 49.01 million. The worldwide death toll soared 8,712 to 1.23 million.

The US had the most cases at 9.91 million, up 118,204, followed by India with 8.41 million, up 47,622. Thailand ranked 149th, the CCSA said.

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