Covid-19 case: 600 people facing quarantine

Hundreds may need to go into quarantine after they came in contact with a Bangkok DJ who recently tested positive for Covid-19. Health officials say around 600 people have been in close contact with the man and 78 people have been classified as “high risk” of being infected.

Thailand went 100 days without a local transmission of the coronavirus. The 37 year old DJ was arrested last week on drug charges and tested positive for virus during a routine check at a Bangkok prison. All of the other recent cases of the coronavirus have been imported and detected during the mandated 2-week quarantine for people entering the country.

Health officials are tracing the man’s steps back to August 12 and have identified 589 people who they say are at a low risk of catching the virus and 78 people who they consider at high risk. 3 pubs were the DJ recently worked have closed down. The staff from all 3 bars are in quarantine.

The man reportedly worked as a DJ at 2 different locations of the 3 Day 2 Night pub in Rama III and on Rama V. He also worked a night at First Cafe on Khao San Road on August 18. All 3 have been closed for cleaning. A restaurant in Nonthaburi where the man reportedly worked has also been closed.

The DJ ended up at a drug correction centre at the Klong Prem prison near Chatuchak. More than 30 people at the centre are classified as high risk. The first round of tests came out negative, but the inmates will be tested again in a few days and they are isolated from the main prison population.

The man was sentenced to prison by the Criminal Court on August 26 on drug charges and sent to the Central Special Correction Institution. 8 inmates at the prison have been classified as high risk and their results are still pending. About 150 officials who came in contact with the DJ have tested negative for the virus.

Thailand has reported 3,431 cases of the coronavirus with 3,277 recoveries and 58 coronavirus related deaths. 96 people are being treated for the virus in hospitals.

SOURCE: Thai PBS