Thai health officials are trying to trace dozens of people who may have come into contact with an elderly Omani man who tested positive for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), the Health Ministry said Sunday. The 71-year-old arrived in Thailand on Friday with a fever which doctors in Oman could not treat, the ministry statement said.
"He tested positive for the MERS virus," and was quarantined in a Bangkok hospital, the statement said, adding "He is tired but conscious".
But authorities are looking for more than 250 people who may have come into contact with the man. Of those, 37 were at "high risk" of contracting the virus, the ministry said, without giving further details.