Thailand tightens disease control measures at Suvarnabhumi Airport

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) under Thailand’s Ministry of Heath has tightened disease control measures at Suvarnabhumi International Airport regarding an outbreak of an unknown illness in Congo, its Director General Doctor Panumas Yanwetsakul has said.

Currently, no suspected cases of this disease have been identified in Thailand. Nevertheless, the DDC has enhanced surveillance, prevention, and control measures, including stricter screening protocols at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Travelers arriving from Congo are required to undergo temperature checks and provide their addresses and contact numbers in Thailand, along with details of their departure from Congo.

Additionally, those who have traveled from Congo within the last 21 days must complete a health reporting form and adhere to the guidelines on the Health Beware Card issued by health officials.

People who have been in Congo within the past 21 days should monitor for initial symptoms such as fever exceeding 38 degrees Celsius, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, fatigue, or exhaustion. If these symptoms worsen, they must seek medical attention immediately and inform doctors of their travel history for diagnosis and treatment to prevent disease transmission, Dr. Panumas advised.

As of Feb. 19, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s data indicated that the outbreak in Boloko and Bomate villages in Equateur province of Congo had resulted in 955 cases and 60 fatalities, reflecting a 6.3% fatality rate.

Laboratory tests confirmed that the illness was not caused by the Ebola or Marburg viruses.