Thailand Reports First Coronavirus Death Since Early June

(Bloomberg) -- Thailand reported its first death from coronavirus infection since June 2, two weeks after the nation ended a streak of 100 days without local transmission.

The victim was a 54-year-old translator who was airlifted to Bangkok from Saudi Arabia early this month after contracting Covid-19, health ministry officials said at a briefing in Bangkok. The man suffered from pneumonia and other comorbidities, they said.

With the latest fatality, Thailand’s total death toll from the pandemic rose to 59. Earlier on Friday, the country reported seven imported Covid-19 cases, taking the total to 3,497.

Thailand, which was the first country outside China to detect the coronavirus, is among a handful of nations in the region which have managed to contain the pandemic. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha imposed a national lockdown in March but the Southeast Asian nation has since relaxed some restrictions to allow businesses to re-open.

The tourism-reliant country is preparing to welcome back foreign tourist by issuing long-stay visas, easing a more than five-month-old ban, as it intensifies efforts to revive an economy battered by the pandemic.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.