Mae Sot to monitor strangers in their communities as 10 new COVID-19 cases are recorded
People line up to have their temperatures taken as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus at the Ministry of Transport at the border crossing over the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot in Tak province on October 29, 2020. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)
Health officials in Thailand’s western province of Tak are seeking cooperation from members of the public to identify strangers, especially illegal Myanmar migrant workers, and to report them to authorities after seven members of a Myanmar family were found to be infected with COVID-19 in Mae Sot district.
The discovery of the infections, including a 78-year old, has prompted health officials to conduct pro-active screening of more than 1,000 people the sub-district.
Mr. Sook Uppakara, chairman of the Tak Islamic Committee, also urged community leaders to ask people to be vigilant and to observe basic safety guidelines strictly.
According to the Facebook page of doctors at Mae Sot district hospital, ten COVID-19 cases have been recorded as a result of pro-active screening, eight cases in Srimoi market and two in Pacharoen market.
Meanwhile, the Samut Sakhon provincial health office reported 777 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday morning, found during pro-active screening of factory workers, communities and among patients in hospitals.
Among the new cases, 677 are Myanmar migrant workers and the rest are Thais. Cumulative infections in Samut Sakhon, to date, are 12,907. 563 Thais and 394 Myanmar people are still being treated in hospitals and 5,678 others, mostly from Myanmar, are under observation in quarantine. 1,657 have recovered.
More than 138,974 Thais and Myanmar migrant workers have, so far, been screened.
