Thailand has confirmed its first known case of the MERS virus after a 75-year-old man came from Oman for heart treatment.
Two laboratories have confirmed the results, the Associated Press reported.
Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin said on Thursday that the man has been quarantined at Bamrasbaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, the ministry's infectious diseases facility in Nonthaburi province and is in stable condition, according to Bangkok Post.
Three other family members who travelled with the man, as well as nearby passengers on the airplane, health personnel, hotel employees, and two taxi drivers are currently being monitored.
The man didn't have any symptoms while traveling to Bangkok, but he started to have fatigue and difficulty breathing after he was admitted to a private hospital for treatment of his heart condition.
"We advise the public not to panic because the patient and his family members were separated since the beginning," Rajata said. "Our system is ready and we are monitoring the cases closely."
Many people from the Middle East would come to Thailand for medical care and treatment. Several other exported MERS cases were also linked to travel for medical reasons, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy reported.
The Middle East respiratory syndrome has killed 23 people and sickened more than 160, while more than 6,700 are quarantined in South Korea in the biggest outbreak outside the region.
