Train passengers checked for coronavirus in Thailand after country sees first death

Train passengers in Bangkok, Thailand, are screened for signs of the coronavirus today (March 1st) after the country reported its first death from the disease.

Hundreds of people arriving at the Sukhumvit MRT station in the centre of the capital had their temperatures checked and were given face masks.

There were similar checkpoints at other busy stations.

The measures came after a 35-year-old male retail worker contracted dengue fever and the new disease known as Covid-19.

Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said: "This was a case of local transmission, and he was at risk because he had exposure to Chinese tourists.'' The patient had been hospitalised since Feb 16 at a private hospital and transferred to Bamrasnardura Infectious Diseases Institute and died on Saturday after multiple organ failure.

Meanwhile, Thailand ordered all of its football league games to be played behind closed doors to prevent risks of spreading the coronavirus.

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 2,900 people worldwide, the vast majority in mainland China.

There have been more than 85,000 global cases, with infections on every continent except Antarctica.