Health officials are investigating the case of a Malaysian visitor to Bangkok who tested positive for Covid-19 after he returned to his homeland.
Dr Tanarak Plipat, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, said on Monday that Malaysian authorities identified the patient as a man aged 46. He arrived back in Malaysia on Aug 5.
The man was asymptomatic and the infection was not detected by his first test. A second test on Saturday proved positive.
Dr Tanarak said the man had spent most of his time at his condominium room in Bangkok during his stay in Thailand.
Health officials were investigating the matter and looking for people who had contact with the visitor and people in the area who were possibly infected. The Public Health Ministry would announce the result of the investigation, he said.
"It has yet to be confirmed where the Malaysian man caught the disease. He has been in quarantine for a long period and his travel record is still unclear," Dr Tanarak said.
With no Covid-19 vaccine available yet, it was possible the disease could still spread in varying degrees in the country. The Public Health Ministry had made preparations and provincial officials would cope with any future outbreak, Dr Tanarak said.
"Thai people must take good care to protect themselves from infection, so that any future outbreak will be kept as small as possible," he said.
