While the COVID-19 pandemic ravages much of the world, Thailand counted its first death since September today, raising the official toll to 59.
A 66-year-old retired government worker recently returned from the United Kingdom died yesterday after testing positive for the coronavirus, officials announced this morning. His death was reported along with eight new COVID-19 cases found in arrivals from nations including Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, India, Ukraine, The Netherlands and Myanmar.
The unidentified man arrived Oct. 19 and was quarantined in Chonburi province for two weeks. He was found to suffer from shortness of breath while in state quarantine. He was then intubated at a hospital and tested for the virus. He was listed as Thailand’s 3,719th COVID-19 patient on Oct. 22.
It wasn’t said what government agency he worked for.
The previous death reported Sept. 18 was Ahmad Mamin, a translator working at the Office of Labor Affairs at the Thai embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He died after returning from the Middle Eastern country.
No deaths were reported for three months prior to that.
Since January, Thailand has recorded 3,818 infections and 60 deaths. Health officials said this morning that 119 patients are being treated at hospitals.
