New Suspected MERS Case in Thailand Undergoing Tests - Health Ministry

A new suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Thailand is undergoing additional testing, the Thai Ministry of Public Health said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, Thailand confirmed its first-ever case of MERS. The patient, a 75-year-old man who recently arrived from Oman, is a medical tourist. The man is in quarantine, in stable condition, according to health officials.

A second suspected Thai MERS case was reported in the northern Chiang Mai province, Channel NewsAsia reported, citing the ministry.

The patient is a South Korean visitor, a country in which a recent outbreak of the deadly virus is estimated to have killed 24 people. The first test of the patient proved negative, and results from a second test are awaited, according to the ministry.

Earlier on Friday, local media reported that the country’s outbreak appeared to have subsided, citing South Korean Health Ministry official Kwon Deok-cheol.

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is a viral respiratory disease caused by the MERS-coronavirus. The infection was first reported in 2012 when a Saudi patient died in London. There is currently no vaccine for the deadly virus.