Thailand sees apparent success treating novel coronavirus with drug cocktail
BANGKOK, Thailand — A Chinese woman infected with the new coronavirus showed a dramatic improvement after
The 71-year-old patient tested negative for the virus 48 hours after Thai doctors administered the combination, doctor Kriengsak
"The lab result of positive on the coronavirus turned negative in 48 hours," Kriengsak said.
"From being exhausted before, she could sit up in bed 12 hours later."
The doctors combined the anti-flu drug oseltamivir with
The news comes as the new virus claimed its first life outside China
Thailand so far has detected 19 confirmed cases of the virus believed to have originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, which is under lockdown.
That is the second highest number of cases outside of China, with Japan recording 20.
So far, eight patients in Thailand have recovered and returned home, while 11 remain in hospital.
In a video released Sunday, health minister
Thai authorities are trying to balance screening of inbound Chinese visitors with the economic needs of its tourist sector, which is heavily reliant on arrivals from the mainland.
Messages of support saying "Our hearts to Wuhan" in English, Chinese and
The bulk of confirmed cases have been Chinese visitors to Thailand, but on Thursday the kingdom recorded its first human-to-human transmission when a Thai taxi driver
The taxi driver had not travelled to China, but may have had contact with tourists.
Thailand's government is also battling public criticism that it has been slow to evacuate scores of its citizens from Hubei province, at the centre of the outbreak.
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