Thailand’s COVID-19 death toll ticked up for the first time since June today with the death of an emissary to Saudi Arabia.
A translator working at the Office of Labor Affairs at the Thai embassy in Riyadh, Ahmad Mamin (translated from Thai) became the 59th fatality, by official count, after he died around noon at Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok, the first recorded death in 108 days.
The 54-year-old Thai muslim was from Chachoengsao province east of the capital. He had tested positive for COVID-19 last month in Riyadh, where he spent time in an ICU unit before a medevac flight returned him to Thailand on Sept. 2. He was admitted to Rajavithi Hospital near the Victory Monument.
He is survived by his family, including two sons living in Riyadh.
While Thais continue to return from abroad carrying the disease, local transmission receded several months ago. Thailand went 100 days without logging a case until September, with two cases found but no signs yet of a wider outbreak underway.
Health officials have announced 3,497 cases since January.
Clarification: The spelling of Ahmad’s name and timeline of his return have been updated in this story.
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