More than 300 female students attending a boarding school, in the Pak Tho district of Thailand’s Ratchaburi province, have been found to be infected with COVID-19, but none are in serious condition, according to the Facebook page of the Dhammajarinee Witthaya School.
The provincial health chief, Dr. Pajaree Areerop, attributed the cluster of infections to the fact that the school allowed several students to go back home during the long New Year holidays.
Upon return to the school, rapid antigen tests were conducted between January 14th and 16th and they all tested negative. A second test, conducted seven days later, produced positive results in 120 students. The provincial health office was notified of the findings on Monday. All infected students were sent to Pak Tho Hospital for RT-PCR tests, which confirmed 74 positive results.
According to Dr. Pajaree, she went to the school to supervise more testing of students yesterday and another 80 cases were identified, followed by another 160 today, bringing the cluster total to 311 cases.
The infected have been sent to the general hospital and a field hospital for treatment, with the sick being separated from the high-risk groups, like the elderly or weak.
Meanwhile, in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket, the Sisaketwittayalai School was ordered to close yesterday until February 4th by the school’s director after 18 students and two teachers were found to be infected.
The director explained that the school had to be closed for now, because about 20 teachers were isolated after eating with one of their infected colleagues, adding that, even if students attend classes, there will be no teachers available.
He said the isolated teachers will continue to teach online.
