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LETTER TO EDITOR |
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| Ahead of print
publication |
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| Coronavirus disease-2019 identification during international transit: Observation from Thailand |
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Beuy Joob1, Viroj Wiwanitkit2
1 Sanitation 1 Medical Academic Center, Bangkok, Thailand
2 Department of Community Medicine, Dr. D Y Patil University, Pune, Maharashtra, India; Department of Tropical Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
Click here for correspondence address and email
| Date of Submission | 06-Mar-2020 |
| Date of Decision | 06-Mar-2020 |
| Date of Acceptance | 23-Mar-2020 |
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Dear Editor,
Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging global public health problem. The disease first appeared in China,[1] and it has already affected more than 45 countries around the world. The importation and exportation of disease is a big challenge for disease control and prevention.[2] Here, the authors would like to share observations on COVID-19 identification during international transit. The specific situation in Thailand, the second country affected by COVID-19, is referred to. At present, as of 21 March 2020, there are already 411 COVID cases in Thailand. Of akk 411 cases existed in Thailand, of which 50 are foreigners (26 from China, 4 Denmark, 3 Japan, 3 UK, 2 Italy, 2 USA, 2 Canada, 1 Singapore, 1 French Guiana, 1 Belgium, 1 France, 1 Pakistan, 1 Myanmar, 1 Malaysia and 1 Switzerland). Of these patients, 15 cases were identified post immigration and 1 was detected at international transit unit.
The specific case is a 22-year-old male that was identified during transit, who is a Chinese patient who took a connecting flight in Thailand on the route from Iran to China. The patient had a high fever and detected at the transit unit at the international airport, and then quarantined and the disease was identified. This report can show that the disease from a foreigner might be detected at any position on the international travel route. For our setting, the disease is usually detected when the immigration problem was already complete and the patient already entered into the country for a period of time before the disease could be diagnosed. The specific case identified at the transit unit can show that the disease screening on an international path, at any point, emigration, immigration or transit unit, should be used for the prevention of disease spreading via international travel.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | |  |
| 1. | Hsia W. Emerging new coronavirus infection in Wuhan, China: Situation in early 2020. Case Study Case Rep 2020;10:8-9.  |
| 2. | Liu Y, Gayle AA, Smith WA, Rocklöv J. The reproductive number of COVID-19 is higher compared to SARS coronavirus. J Travel Med 2020;27. pii: taaa021. |
Correspondence Address:
Beuy Joob,
Sanitation1 Medical Academic Center, Bangkok
Thailand
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None DOI: 10.4103/HMJ.HMJ_30_20
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