Thai airports checking S’pore, Hong Kong travellers for new XXB strain
Thai airports have tightened screening of foreign arrivals from Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries where the new Covid-19 XBB subvariant has been reported.
The Disease Control Department (DDC) said the decision to increase the surveillance level came after Hong Kong’s health department said it detected 29 imported XBB cases on Wednesday.
Three of those cases had travelled from Thailand.
Another 13 arrived from Singapore, five from India, two each from the UK and Indonesia, and one each from the US, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and Czech Republic.
The DDC has contacted Hong Kong health authorities to get information and travel histories for the three Covid cases that arrived from Thailand.
“Reports indicate Covid-19 is not more severe in patients infected with XBB subvariant,” said DDC acting director-general Dr Thares Krainairawiwong.
Dr Sopon Iamsirithaworn, DDC deputy director-general, said XBB is not spreading yet in Thailand, where most new cases were infected with the Omicron variant.
“Health officials at all airports have been instructed to increase surveillance for respiratory symptoms in foreign arrivals, especially those from Singapore, Hong Kong, and other countries with reports of XBB subvariant,” he said.
The Department of Medical Sciences will perform random tests on people seeking treatment for respiratory symptoms at public and private hospitals, especially in tourism provinces,” he added.
Sopon also advised those planning overseas trips to remain vigilant and follow the health advice while wearing face masks in public places, maintaining social distance, and washing their hands regularly. He said a booster shot was also defence against severe symptoms, adding that people could call the DDC hotline at 1422 for information on Covid-19.
Researchers at Peking University say the XBB variant originates from the highly infectious BA.2 subvariant.
