11 Contract Coronavirus After Sharing Cup, Cigarette at Party

Workers disinfect biometric counters at Suvarnabhumi Airport on March 11, 2020.

BANGKOK — Eleven Thais were diagnosed with the coronavirus after they shared a glass for drinks and passed around the same cigarette at a recent party, the health ministry said Thursday.

The eleven were part of a group of 15 people at the gathering, which also includes a Chinese national from Hong Kong, health ministry sec-gen Sukhum Kanchanapimai said at a news conference. The announcement brought the total number of confirmed infection in Thailand to 70.

It is unclear whether the Hong Konger also had the coronavirus because the person already returned to their country, though the person did show signs of illness at the party, Sukhum said.

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It appeared to be the largest group infection of the virus reported in Thailand so far.

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Sukhum said one person also recovered from the coronavirus and was discharged from hospital.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misquoted an official as saying that the group was dining in Bangkok’s Thong Lor area. In fact, he did not mention any location in the news conference. We regret the error.