Five people under Ebola surveillance in Thailand

BANGKOK: The Ministry of Public Health said five people remain under close surveillance for Ebola virus at present, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

Two European engineers who had travelled in Liberia and arrived in Thailand on Dec 24 were earlier suspected of contracting the virus after showing symptoms of high fever two days upon arrival.

Tests later showed the two to be suffering from severe malaria.

Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Vachira Pengchan said Monday the two men were recovering.

Ebola continues to spread in West African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Official statistics from the World Health Organisation showed some 20,000  people were infected with Ebola by the end of 2014 of whom 8,000 had died from the virus.

It is feared that newly recruited volunteers recently dispatched to Ebola-affected areas could suffer from the virus. - Bernama