Village under Covid-19 lockdown after old woman lies

The dishonesty of an old woman led to an entire village in Buriram being sealed off on lockdown due to a Covid-19 outbreak she created. The woman lied about her visiting daughter and son-in-law to avoid the 14-day quarantine set in place to allow enough time to avoid a Covid-19 outbreak.

The 75 year old woman lives in the village of Ban Khok Bua in Phlapphlachai district and when her daughter came to visit with her husband, she lied to local health officials and told them the couple had travelled from Lahan Sai, a district in the south of Buriram, a journey which requires a 7-day isolation period for Covid-19 safety.

But her daughter and son-in-law had actually travelled from Bangkok. They were high-risk and should have been in isolation for 2 full weeks.

The old woman was very busy after the 7-day Covid-19 quarantine, travelling around the village and surrounding areas, reportedly asking for food. She also attended a local funeral where she spoke with other attendees while sharing the traditional betel nut chewed by many locals.

It wasn’t until the husband and wife left the town and returned home to Bangkok that health volunteers started to unravel the ruse. The old woman’s daughter complained of chest pains and the whole family was tested. The old woman admitted she hadn’t been truthful with local officials and had hidden the fact that her daughter and her husband had come from Bangkok in order to avoid the 14-day quarantine.

The daughter and son-in-law actually tested negative for Covid-19 in Bangkok, but the old woman and her son were confirmed to be infected with Covid-19. Testing of at-risk people in the community has already uncovered 15 more infections. Children between 3 and 10 years old were infected with Covid-19, as was the leader of the village who had set up the funeral. 278 more people are considered high-risk, though initial tests have not turned up any more infections.

The village was been sealed off in Covid-19 lockdown from August 15 and will continue isolation until August 28, under orders from the provincial communicable disease committee. The Buriram provincial administration organisation will be caring for those in need in the mostly poor village.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post