Thailand detects its first case of omicron in a traveller from Spain

Thailand detects its first case of omicron in a traveller from Spain. The traveller has been admitted to the hospital and the country is hoping to contain the variant.

According to the Health Authorities in Thailand, the first case of the omicron variant was reported on Monday, December 6. An American traveller heading in from Spain is said to have bought the virus with them.

On November 30, the 35-year-old patient tested positive. A second test came back as positive on December 3. According to the director general of the Department of Medical Sciences Suphakit Sirilak, the person is believed to be infected with the omicron variant.

Thailand is said to be admitting positive patients to hospital even if they are asymptomatic. So far the traveller reportedly has no symptoms.

The significance of the first case of the omicron variant being detected in Thailand has been stressed by Suphakit. He went on to highlight how little is known about the new variant at this time. He does believe though that local transmission can be ruled out so far.

Thailand has been hit hard by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The country had just begun reopening to travellers to bring life back to its vital tourism sector. Thailand has reported more than 5,000 deaths from the virus so far and more than 2 million cases have been detected. At the moment though only around 60 per cent of the population have been fully vaccinated against the pandemic.

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