Passengers arriving from Wuhan, China, arriving at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai are being vetted to prevent an as-yet-mysterious lung disease similar to SARS from spreading in Thailand.
Thermal scans are being performed by officials on passengers arriving at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai airports from the Chinese city of Wuhan. The move came in response to an outbreak of the disease in the southeastern Chinese city about 800 km west of Shanghai.
There are three daily flights from Wuhan operated by China Southern Airlines arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport. in addition, two flights operated by Thai AirAsia at Don Mueang Airport and two by Thai AirAsia at Phuket Airport. In addition to these daily flights, there are three arrivals per week operated by Air China at Chiang Mai Airport.
China Southern Airlines will operate additional flights to Phuket from January 10 to February 3 for the Chinese New Year Festival.
The thermal screening takes place before Chinese travelers reach immigration. Passengers with suspected symptoms of pneumonia will be quarantined for medical examinations.
Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul inspected the screening measures at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday. He said about 500 travelers arrive daily from Wuhan, but no one has yet been discovered with the lung disease.
Source: Bangkok Post
Shouldn't the cabin crew also be checked so that they cannot pass on the illness of passengers!l
The symptoms listed are: fever, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, or a combination thereof.
I landed on December 25 at Suvarnabhumi and flew on to Chiang Mai.
After 2 days it looked like I had contracted pneumonia (had it before and recognize the feeling and symptoms). I didn't know about this outbreak during my vacation and only today read about this mysterious "pneumonia". I used up a whole pack of paracetamol during my vacation. Fever is now "only" an increase, muscle pain a little less, but the coughing and constipation continue to play tricks on me. Would I have caught something at the airport in Bangkok and/or Chiang Mai? Don't know. Thursday to the GP (after explaining everything to the GP assistant, an earlier visit was not necessary …).
Personally I would insist on a pulmonologist possibly with lung x-rays and antibiotics!
Don't settle for a doctor!