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Coronavirus Singapore
AsiaSoutheast Asia

Coronavirus: Thailand bars Westerdam passengers; adds visitors from Singapore and Japan to screening checks

  • The moves came as the country confirmed its 35th case, of a Chinese woman related to a family of nine that was previously diagnosed
  • Thailand was one of the five countries which turned away the Westerdam cruise ship over coronavirus fears. A US passenger has since tested positive

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Anyone arriving from Japan and Singapore who displays coronavirus symptoms will be quarantined at a hospital in Thailand. Photo: Xinhua
Reuters
Thailand on Monday said it would bar non-resident passengers from the Cambodia-docked MS Westerdam from entering the country, days after Malaysia reported a passenger from the cruise ship tested positive for the coronavirus.
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An 83-year-old American woman, who was among 145 Westerdam passengers on the first of four flights chartered by the ship’s operator, was determined to have shown symptoms during airport checks in Kuala Lumpur, prompting Malaysia to cancel other flights and ban the entry of further passengers.

There were 21 Thai nationals on board the Westerdam, and Thai health authorities said all of them would be quarantined for 14 days when they entered Thailand.

The Southeast Asian country was among five nations which denied the Westerdam from docking last week amid fears of the coronavirus.

Thailand’s move to bar passengers from the luxury cruise liner came as the country on Monday recorded a new case of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 35.
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The latest case was a 60-year-old Chinese woman who was related to a family of nine that was previously diagnosed.

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