Suvarnabhumi Airport increases surveillance for potential cases of MERS virus

The Department of Disease Control, along with the Office of Immigration and Suvarnabhumi Airport, has increased its screening of passengers for potential cases of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus.

Director-General of the Disease Conrol Office Amnuay Gajeena along with Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn and Suvarnabhumi Airport Director Sirot Duangrat inspected Suvarnabhumi’s inspection protocol as it is intensifies its screening for potential MERS cases, most likely coming from the Middle East.

Authorities have been urged to strictly screen the backgrounds of passengers, establish sanitation gel stations across the airport and disseminate information on the symptoms of the virus.

A 28-year old French woman was recently held in Chiang Mai as she was traveling with an infected patient from Oman.

Currently, 1,626 cases of the MERS virus has been found, resulting in a total of 586 deaths, a mortality rate of 36 percent in 26 countries.

NNT

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