BANGKOK (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health has announced finding Thailand’s first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant in an American who had traveled from Spain. The patient currently displays almost no symptoms and is under the close supervision of officials.
Department of Disease Control (DDC) Director-General Opas Karnkawinpong disclosed that the American man had been living in Spain for one year and worked as a businessperson. He had been fully inoculated via the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and his pre-departure RT-PCR test did not produce a positive result prior to him entering Thailand on November 29.
The on-arrival RT-PCR test issued in accordance with Thailand’s Test & Go entry pathway produces a positive result that was confirmed on December 1. Lab tests pointed to a 99.92% probability of the Covid strain present in the patient to be the Omicron variant.
Dr. Opas said a re-test will be conducted in order for authorities to be 100% certain about the infection being of the Omicron variant. He added that the patient displayed almost no symptoms and had been very diligent in observing public health precautions. Authorities have deemed there were no individuals who had high-risk exposure to the patient.
Addressing rumors of current COVID-19 vaccines being ineffective against the Omicron variant, Dr. Opas asserted that vaccines are still effective, and will reduce the severity of symptoms and the number of deaths from Covid.
Information and Source
Reporter : Namo Vananupong
Rewriter: Thammarat Thadaphrom
National News Bureau & Public Relations: http://thainews.prd.go.th
