Thailand finds second case of new Chinese virus, says no outbreak
January 17, 2020, 10:43 am

Thailand finds second case of new Chinese virus, says no outbreak

Pedestrians wear protective masks as they walk through a shopping district in Tokyo on January 16, 2020. (AP)

Thailand has found a second case of the new Chinese coronavirus, authorities said on Friday, as the country ramped up checks of Chinese visitors ahead of the Lunar New Year’s holidays.

The Chinese woman, 74, had been quarantined since her arrival on Monday and was found to be infected with the newly identified coronavirus, said Sukhum Karnchanapimai, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry.

He added that she was from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where 41 cases of pneumonia have been reported and potentially linked to the new type of coronavirus. Two patients have died.

Sukhum also urged Thais to remain calm, saying that there was no outbreak in the country.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

On Monday, Thailand said it had found a 61-year-old Chinese woman carrying a strain of the coronavirus, the first time it was detected outside of China.

Since then, Japan reported its first case of the infection on Thursday after a Japanese man returned from visiting Wuhan.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the Wuhan virus could spread and has warned hospitals worldwide.

Thailand is on high alert ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays next week, when nearly a million Chinese visitors are expected to arrive.

The Public Health Ministry has increased its monitoring at four airports that have daily flights from Wuhan - Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueng, Chiang Mai and Phuket - and any airports that receive charter flights from the city.

It has screened 13,624 passengers across the airports since Jan. 3.

source: Reuters

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”