Thailand reports first human-to-human coronavirus transmission

Thailand has confirmed its first case of human to human transmission of the new deadly coronavirus inside the country, according to its health official on January 31. The total number of cases has reached 19, the second-highest after China. The first patient who was diagnosed with the virus inside Thailand is a taxi driver according to the deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control, Tanarak Pipat.

Tanarak said that he does not have any record of travelling to China but believed that he was infected by a sick traveller from China. The authorities have performed virus scans on 13 people, including three family members, who the taxi driver came into contact with.

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Seven out of Thailand's 19 cases of Coronavirus have recovered

Thai authorities have said that initially none of the Coronavirus patients had tested positive for the virus. Seven out of Thailand's 19 confirmed Coronavirus cases have successfully recovered from the infection and have been sent home. The remaining 12 are still being treated at hospitals.

Chinese Coronavirus death toll rises

The death toll from the Coronavirus outbreak has risen to 213 with more than 9800 confirmed cases in China after the worst-hit Hubei province reported 42 new fatalities on Friday. Within the past 24 hours, over 1,200 new cases of the disease have been recorded in 17 Chinese cities, the Chinese media reported.

The new figures came shortly after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a Global Emergency over the deadly epidemic, which has spread to over 20 countries around the world.

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WHO declares Global Health Emergency

The latest figures show that the daily death count is increasing sharply, despite unprecedented measures imposed by China on Hubei a week ago. On Thursday alone, Chinese health officials had reported a nationwide total of 38 deaths, all but one of them in Hubei.

The Chinese province on Friday also reported 1,220 new cases, slightly higher than the previous day. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Coronavirus a Global Health Emergency. The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement on Thursday evening. 

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(With Agency Inputs)