Health officials say all Covid patients in Thailand have been accounted for
The head of Thailand’s Disease Control Department says all Covid-19 cases across 7 provinces where infected returnees from Myanmar travelled, have now been accounted for. Opas Karnkawinpong says Thailand now has a total of 49 cases linked to Thai nationals who crossed illegally from Myanmar, bypassing health checks and quarantine.
“So far, 49 cases have been found to be related to the people who crossed the border illegally from Myanmar. Of them, 30 have tested positive for Covid-19 in local state quarantine facilities, while the 17 who travelled to 7 provinces before testing positive have infected 2 others so far.”
He goes on to say that in the affected provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Phichit, Ratcahburi, Singburi and Tak, over 6,000 people who had close contact with the infected returnees have been tracked and tested for Covid-19. Officials are satisfied that, with the exception of 2 people who tested positive following close contact with arrivals from the Burmese border town of Tachilek, there are no further unaccounted for infections.
Tachilek hit the headlines recently when it was revealed that a hotel and entertainment complex operating as a centre for prostitution had become a Covid-19 hotbed. It’s understood the facility employs around 180 Thai nationals, several of whom were caught after they fled Myanmar to avoid the outbreak, crossing into Thailand through illegal channels.
Opas adds that, while the Disease Control Department is confident the situation is under control, the responsibility still lies with individuals to keep themselves safe.
“This means that the 7 provinces are safe. No areas have been classified as risky, so people can travel locally without having to quarantine themselves when returning to their home province. However, people still need to protect themselves by wearing face masks, washing their hands regularly, avoiding crowded areas, and using the Thai Chana platform to record their movements.”
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
