Prayut urges people to ‘be aware’ but not panic over Thailand’s first Omicron case
The prime minister on Monday urged people not to panic over the discovery of Thailand’s first Omicron case, saying he was confident that health authorities will be able to curb its spread.
The first Omicron case in Thailand was detected on Friday in a US national who had arrived from Spain on November 30.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has advised people to be aware, but not to panic. He added that the premier is certain the spread of this highly transmissible variant can be controlled thanks to the strict prevention measures put in place by the health authorities
He said Prayut is also urging people to get their Covid-19 jabs, and for the fully vaccinated to get their booster shot.
Meanwhile, the Department of Disease Control released the timeline of the country’s first Omicron case – a 35-year-old American businessman who lived in Spain for a year.
The patient has no symptoms and was not in close contact with many people. His timeline is as follows:
- June 28: The patient receives one dose of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in the US.
- November 28: Patient undergoes RT-PCR test in Spain and gets a negative result. The patient later has dinner with a friend, who had not tested positive as of press time.
- November 29: Patient flies from Spain to Dubai for a nine-hour layover. Claims to have worn a face mask at all times.
- November 30: Arrives in Bangkok at around midnight, undergoes a drive-through test at a hospital and goes to the hotel.
- December 1: Patient tests positive and is admitted to hospital despite having no symptoms.
- December 3: Sample is sent to the Department of Medical Sciences and confirmed as Omicron variant.
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