Officials say 4 Bangkok parties have led to nearly 40 Covid-19 cases

An assistant spokesperson for the government’s Covid-19 task force says 4 separate parties in Bangkok are behind nearly 40 cases of the Covid-19 virus. Apisamai Srirangsan from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says that in each case, alcohol was a prime factor in people letting their guard down.

Nation Thailand reports that after a party attended by 30 people, 9 have tested positive, while 11 are under observation in quarantine. Another 10 have tested negative as they were only at the party briefly to drop off gifts. It’s understood the 9 infected patients were all drunk, stayed at the party a long time, and shared glasses as part of a drinking game. They also used their fingers to eat food and handle ice cubes.

Party number 2 was attended by 13 people, 10 of whom have tested positive for the virus. The circumstances around transmission are similar, in that the guests were drunk, spent a long time together, shared glasses, and eat with their hands. At the third get-together, there were 7 people in attendance, all of whom have tested positive. It’s understood the venue was poorly-ventilated and guests shared glasses and danced with each other. At the fourth party, all 13 guests were infected after sharing glasses and remaining in close contact over a long period.

Apisamai said that in each case, alcohol was a key factor in the transmission of the virus, lowering inhibitions and causing people to abandon disease prevention measures. She pointed out that this is why the sale of alcohol is currently banned in Bangkok’s public spaces.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand