More than 800 Covid-19 cases now linked to seafood market

More than 800 Covid-19 cases are now linked to the Samut Sakhon province seafood market outbreak. With the largest increase in daily cases reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration yesterday, health officials say they are now conducting mass testing to contain the virus.

As of this morning, 723 Covid-19 cases are linked to the Mahachai Market in Samut Sakhon, a province just southwest of Bangkok. Health officials say they are testing more than 10,000 people in the area as well as in neighbouring Nakhon Pathom and Samut Songkhram. This afternoon the Bangkok Post was reporting more than 800 cases now recorded, linked to the migrant worker outbreak.

Health officials say 3 people in Saraburi, around 100 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, have also tested positive for Covid-19 after travelling from the Mahachai Market where they bought seafood last week. Other cases were reported in Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Bangkok and Samut Prakan. Neighbouring Cambodia has toughened requirements for people entering the country from Thailand. Other bordering countries may follow.

The Department of Disease Control reports most of the cases involve Burmese migrant workers who worked in and around the Samut Sakhon coastal fishing markets. Officials say worker camps in the province have been locked down, some surrounded with barbed wire.

Somsak Paneetatyasai, the president of the Thai Shrimp Association, says the outbreak was bad news for the country’s main export, up to 30% of the shrimp and seafood comes from Samut Sakhon. Thailand is the world’s third largest shrimp exporters.

SOURCE: Coconuts Bangkok