Everyone in Chiang Rai to wear face masks as six new COVID-19 cases are reported

A province-wide campaign will be launched in Thailand’s northern border province of Chiang Rai to encourage everyone there to wear a face mask while they are outdoors, after six more COVID-19 cases were recorded today among Thai returnees, from Myanmar’s Thachilek township, and are in local quarantine.

A big cleanup of the entire province is also scheduled for December 10^th, starting at 10am, according to Governor Prachon Pratsakul who maintained, however, that there is no lockdown yet in the province, in the wake of an increasing number of infections brought in by Thais working in the entertainment industry in Thachilek.

The new infections have raised the total in Chiang Rai to 26, including 20 who legally crossed the border and have entered local quarantine, five illegal returnees plus one locally-transmitted case.

The six new cases are all Thai women, two of whom, aged 25 and 24, worked at a nightclub and karaoke bar in Thachilek and four others, aged 25 to 31 who worked at the iG1 Hotel, also in Thachilek.

Governor Prachon said that the COVID-infected illegal returnees will be dealt with in accordance with the law, once they have completed treatment, adding that, by keeping all returnees from Myanmar in local quarantine, the disease will be contained.

Regarding health screening for those in contact with the infected people, health officials have conducted tests on 4,224 cases, between December 2^nd and 6^th. 3,113 have tested negative and results of the rest are expected this evening.

Director of Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital said that they can accommodate up to 60 patients, while the medical centre at Mae Fah Luang has more than 300 beds available receive patients.

Ban Pa Daeng School has been ordered closed for a week from today, after some staff were found to be infected.

Meanwhile, the CCSA reported 21 new COVID-19 cases in Thailand today, including nine cases in Chiang Rai province alone.

The new cases are Thais, two Americans, an Estonian, an Indian, a German and a Nigerian.

Cumulative infections, to date, are 4,107, with 3,868 recoveries and 179 others are still being treated in hospitals. The death toll remains 60.