Disease control measures have been beefed up at Suvarnabhumi Airport to screen travellers from high-risk countries following reports of a mysterious fever outbreak in Congo.
Department of Disease Control (DDC) director-general Dr Panumas Yanwetsakul on Saturday responded to reports by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of an outbreak of unknown illness in Congo.
WHO data as of Feb 19 says the outbreak in Boloko and Bomate villages in Equateur had seen 955 cases and 60 deaths, which represents a 6.3% fatality rate. Laboratory tests confirmed the illness was not caused by the Ebola or Marburg viruses, reports said.
Currently, Thailand has not detected any suspected cases of the disease. However, the DDC has increased surveillance, prevention and control measures, including tightening screening protocols at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Dr Panumas said.
All travellers arriving from Congo will undergo temperature checks and must provide their address and contact number in Thailand, as well as information on their departure from Congo.
Travellers from Congo within the past 21 days must also fill out a health reporting form and follow the instructions on the Health Beware Card issued by health authorities.
Anyone who has been in Congo within the past 21 days should watch for early symptoms such as fever above 38°C, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, fatigue or exhaustion.
"Should these symptoms worsen, they must seek medical attention immediately and inform doctors of their travel history for diagnosis and treatment and to prevent disease transmission," Dr Panumas said.
