Four medics working in quarantine facility infected with COVID-19

Four medical personnel, working at an alternative state quarantine facility in Bangkok, are among 19 new COVID-19 cases recorded today (Tuesday).

Dr. Chakkarath Pittayawong-anon, director of the Strategy and Planning Division of the Disease Control Department, told a news conference today that the four medical personnel are being regarded as locally-contracted cases, plus a 21-year old Thai woman, who snuck into Chiang Rai province from Myanmar’s Thachilek township and tested positive for the virus on December 5^th.

The woman is the 27th COVID-19 case in Chiang Rai. To date, 39 cases have been linked to Thachilek.

Seven more COVID-19 cases, linked to Thachilek and in local quarantine, were recorded in Chiang Rai today, but they will be included in the tally to be announced tomorrow by the CCSA, said Dr. Chakkarath.

He said that the four infected medics were responsible for taking swab samples and were colleagues of another medic who was earlier reported to be infected. He added that 51 high-risk contacts had been traced and all were cleared of the disease, while results from the low-risk contacts are still pending.

Chiang Rai Governor Prachon Pratsakul said today that there are 34 COVID-19 cases linked to Thachilek in the province, including 23 cases from the 1G1 Hotel complex, two from the Hollywood nightclub, one from another hotel and one locally-contracted case. Seven cases are being investigated, he added.

Health officials in the province have, up to yesterday, conducted swab tests on 4,852 people, mostly regarded as low-risk contacts, with negative results for 3,561 and results for the rest still pending.

The CCSA recorded 19 new COVID-19 cases today, including four locally-contracted infections of medical personnel working in quarantine facilities.

The 15 imported cases include six from Myanmar, two from the US and one each from Bulgaria, Morocco, the UK, Denmark, Turkey and Bahrain and one Thai returnee who refused to be quarantined.

Cumulative infections, to date, are 4,126, with 3,874 recoveries. 192 others are still being treated in hospitals.