148 test negative for Covid-19 in football player case

So far, 148 people who came in contact with the infected Buriram United football player from Uzbekistan have tested negative for Covid-19 during the second round of testing. The test results from nearly 300 other people “at risk” are still pending.

The 29 year old Buriram United football player tested positive for Covid-19, health officials announced last week. The football player arrived in Thailand on August 11 and went into a mandatory 14 day quarantine in Bangkok where he tested negative for the Covid-19 multiple times. It’s an apparent second local transmission of the virus since Thailand’s 100 day streak without a reported local transmission. Although, health officials speculate the virus may have a longer incubation period in rare cases and that he may have “brought the infection with him” from Uzbekistan.

441 people who came in contact with the Buriram football player have been tested so far. Blood samples were collected, according to the Pattaya News. Covid-19 blood tests are antibody tests to determine if there was a past infection. They were also tested using the RT-PCR swab test which is a viral test that checks the salvia to determine is there is a current infection. Pattaya News says those deemed “at risk” are isolated in quarantine.

Out of the 148 people that tested negative, 47 are Buriram United Football members, 44 are players and staff from the Ratchaburi Mitr Phol Football Club, 51 are players and staff from the Khon Kaen United team and 6 were passengers on an airplane into Bangkok.

Health officials are still waiting on the results from 293 people who are classified as “high” and “low risk.” 7 of those people are airplane passengers.

Earlier this month, a Bangkok DJ tested positive for Covid-19. The DJ had been arrested on drug charges and tested positive for the virus during a routine check whilst in quarantine at the Corrections Facility hospital at a Bangkok prison. Health officials still do not know where the DJ came in contact with the virus. Around 1,000 people have been tested for the virus. There have been no positive Covid-19 cases related to the DJ.

SOURCES: Pattaya News| CDC

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