BANGKOK — Health officials on Wednesday said they found the first case of a Thai national who contracted the new strain of coronavirus, and the fourth infection in Thailand.
Department of Disease Control director Sophon Iamsirithavorn identified the patient as a 73-year-old female native of Nakhon Pathom province who returned from a trip to the Chinese city of Wuhan back on Jan. 13. Wuhan is thought to be where the strain originated.
He said there have now been four confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in Thailand: three Chinese tourists and one Thai citizen. The announcement just as Macau and the U.S. also reported an infection.
Symptoms of the virus are similar to a flu: runny nose, cough, sore throat, headache, and fever.
The virus could also lead to illnesses like pneumonia or bronchitis if the patient has weakened immune system, such as children and the elderly.