Thailand has first human-to-human coronavirus transmission with 19 total cases

Tanarak Pipat, the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Disease Control says a total of 19 cases of the Wuhan virus have now been confirmed in Thailand.

That is the highest number of cases of the coronavirus outside China.

The country also has its first human-to-human transmission case with confirmation a Thai taxi driver is infected with the virus.

The taxi driver became ill two days ago and, at that time, reported he had carried Chinese passengers in his cab.

Thai health officials believe he caught the virus from them, as he has not visited China nor associated with anyone that has.

Related: How many cases of the virus have been confirmed in Asian countries?

May Wong, a correspondent with Channel News Asia also tweeted that Thai health officials are now looking for information about anyone the taxi driver may have come into contact with.

The other four people who have been diagnosed as infected with the coronavirus in the last 24 hours are all Chinese nationals visiting Thailand.

Meanwhile, it was announced this morning Thailand now has permission from the Chinese to send a plane to Wuhan to pick up stranded Thai nationals. There are thought to be at least 64 Thais in the virus-stricken city, most of whom want to return home.