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Thai researchers are claiming that horseshoe bats are not responsible for transmitting the Covid virus to humans. Supaporn Wacharapluesadee, a researcher with the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases-Health Science Centre, says hat even though the bats have tested for a coronavirus, it is not the strain that is transmissible to humans.

“They are in the same family [of coronaviruses], but they do not cause Covid-19. As of now, there is no evidence to show that the strain we found in bats [in Chachoengsao] can be transmitted to humans.”

Rungnapar Pattanavibool, deputy chief of the DNP, says the department is aware that wild animals can transmit diseases to humans and they are working with other agencies to check imported animals for such diseases.

But Supaporn insists that public fears over the horseshoe bats are unwarranted as she says there is no evidence that the bats carrying a similar strain of Covid can transmit the strain to humans. The new strain’s genetic code does, however, feature a 91.5% match with Sars-CoV-2.

And, that’s not to say the bats cannot spread other strains of coronaviruses as scientists say it is likely that bats across Asia are doing the same thing. Infectious diseases such as SARS, MERS, Hendra, Ebola and Nipah, are thought to have emerged from bats, making research into Asian bats all the more necessary.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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The Samut Sakhon seafood market, the epicentre of the recent wave of Covid-19 infections, has reopened. The Central Shrimp Market had been shut down, sealed off and sprayed down after hundreds of vendors, migrant workers and visitors were infected with the coronavirus. Now, 10 weeks later, the market at a fishing hub just southwest of Bangkok, is not only back open, it’s bustling.

A waiting area now has rows sectioned off by plastic dividers to ensure social distancing. Those bringing fish to the market to sell must take a queue card and sit in the proper seat. The seafood will also be now sorted on a raised platform.

Market operators, vendors and customers are required to follow disease control measures. Screening points are set to check all vehicles entering the area including trucks delivering seafood as well as vendors and customers.

Workers are required to wear face masks, gloves, rubber boots and rubber aprons. Members of the market must have documents from a recent health screening.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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80 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing while 142 new cases were reported on Saturday and Sunday. Since the start of the pandemic, Thailand has reported 26,031 coronavirus infections and 83 deaths.

There are currently 624 active Covid-19 infections, a record low for Thailand since the December outbreak at a Samut Sakhon seafood market. The number of active Covid-19 over the past month drastically dropped after health officials slowed down mass testing efforts in high risk areas.

Out of the 80 new cases reported today, 28 were exposed to the virus in areas considered to be at “high risk,” including 19 in Samut Sakhon, 3 in Tak, 2 in Nakhon Pathom, 2 in Bangkok, 1 in Chon Buri and 1 in Ratchaburi.

36 cases were detected through proactive testing, including 35 cases in Pathum Thani and 1 in Nonthaburi.

The other 16 cases were detected in quarantine for those arriving to Thailand from overseas.

Active Covid-19 cases in Thailand as of February 28, according to Worldometers.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand

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