Thailand has confirmed its first case of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus from Wuhan, according to a senior official from Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Friday (Jan. 31, 2020).

Thai taxi driver infected

The patient is a Thai taxi driver, reported the Bangkok Post.

He is one of the five new confirmed cases of infection announced on Friday, while the other four are Chinese nationals.

This raises the number of confirmed infections in Thailand to 19.

"The Thai person who was infected does not have a record of travelling to China and it is likely that he was infected by a sick traveller from China," said Tanarak Pipat, deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control.

Reporters were told on Friday morning that two taxi drivers who had picked up Chinese tourists later fell ill and sought treatment two days ago.

Thailand to bring back about 161 citizens from Wuhan by plane

Thailand is sending a plane to Wuhan to bring back about 161 citizens on Saturday, a government minister said.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand on Friday expects a revenue loss of 95 billion baht from fewer Chinese tourists during January-April.

Human-to-human transmission of the virus has also been confirmed in other countries, which includes Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United States.

Top image via @magkinju/Twitter