Chon Buri sees 7 more Covid infections today, 5 foreigners

Thailand’s Chon Buri province, which features the tourist city of Pattaya, is seeing 7 more Covid-19 infections today. The Chon Buri Public Health Office made the announcement after seeing 8 infections just yesterday. The new infections are worrying officials, who say they are the most the province has seen in 3 months.

Japanese nationals claimed 5 of the infections today, which are linked to Bangkok entertainment venues. The other 2 infections are that of Thai nationals, 1 being linked to the foreign cluster, while the other being unrelated. The other Thai national came to the province for Covid-19 treatment from Samut Prakan, but it is being considered a new infection in Chon Buri.

Yesterday, the Japanese Embassy announced that the Japanese ambassador to Thailand has been infected with Covid-19, but officials have not linked that case with the recent cluster. Chon Buri officials say the new infections are directly linked to the entertainment venues in Bangkok and advised residents to avoid such places.

110 people who were in close contact with the infectious patients have been traced, isolated and tested with officials saying testing is ongoing. The new cases come 5 days before the start of Thailand’s New Year of Songkran, the biggest holiday celebrated in the Kingdom annually.

This year, Songkran will look a bit different thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the government banning water-splashing, which is a hallmark activity of Songkran. The government says more traditional activities can go ahead, such as congregating at temples during certain days of the new year holiday, but the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has stressed that people should adhere to Covid health measures such as mask wearing and social distancing.

Thailand has recently announced its reopening to 11 groups of travellers, who may be able to undergo a shortened quarantine of 7 days, if they can prove they have been fully inoculated against the Covid virus. Those who are from countries which feature a Covid variant, still have to adhere to the 14 day quarantine requirement, even if they have been fully vaccinated.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News