Thailand reports 1st coronavirus death in over 3 months

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – Thailand has registered its first COVID-19 death in over three months, local media reported on Friday.

According to a report by daily Bangkok Post, the victim was a man who returned to Bangkok from Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on Sept. 2.

Somsak Akksilp, director general of Thailand’s Medical Science Department, said the man was admitted to a hospital in Bangkok in serious condition.

He did not show any symptoms of COVID-19 but scans showed his lungs were damaged and he was placed on respiratory support, the official said.

“This patient was asymptomatic when he was transferred to Rajavithi [hospital], but we cannot deny that he died of COVID-19,” he said.

The latest fatality, the first in Thailand since June 2, brought the countrywide death toll to 59, while cases stand at 3,497.

Across the world, COVID-19 has now claimed over 946,600 lives in 188 countries and regions since last December.

More than 30.2 million cases have been reported worldwide, with recoveries exceeding 20.54 million, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.