Airports step up Covid surveillance on arrivals from Hong Kong, Singapore

Travelers flock to Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province last month. Disease control officials have stepped up surveillance for Covid-19 at all airports in the country after reports of the new XBB variant of Covid-19. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

Health officials at airports are conducting random Covid-19 tests on passengers with respiratory symptoms from Hong Kong and Singapore to detect Omicron's new XBB subvariant, according to disease control authorities.

Dr Tares Krassanairawiwong, acting director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), said on Friday that 29 people who arrived in Hong Kong tested positive for the XBB strain.