Thailand On Its Toes Again After New COVID-19 Cases, Suggesting Quarantine Alone Is No Longer Enough

Tested positive after quarantine 


Not long after the talk about reducing the quarantine period, Thailand has discovered 2 new COVID-19 infections outside the quarantine facility last week. 

The first case is a French woman in Samui who tested positive just a week after her quarantine ended in October. Another is an Indian man who lives in Krabi; he tested positive earlier this month although he returned to Thailand from Singapore in February.

Image credit: Thaicom

Yesterday, the director of the Ministry of Public Health‘s Communicable Diseases Division Dr. Sophon Iamsirithavorn said both patients “appear to have been asymptomatic for long periods of time, possibly even the duration of their quarantine.”

Due to both of these cases, the director urged everyone to keep looking after themselves as this is a dangerous situation and it is proven that quarantining alone can’t keep us safe. 

https://thesmartlocal.com/thailand/covid-19-vaccine/


Looking for folks who got in contact


The man went to Sukhothai to join a Loy Krathong event
Image credit: News Curve Online

While around 100 people who got in contact with the French woman tested negative, things seem to be a bit more complicated for the Indian man’s case.

It is reported that the man recently visited Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Sukhothai apart from Krabi which is his hometown. 

On Monday, authorities in Sukhothai disclosed that there were 32 people who got close to the man and will be closely monitored. 

As for other provinces, officials are still tracing the man’s footsteps in order to identify those who are at risk.


3 new cases inside the quarantine


On Monday, 3 new COVID-19 cases were reported inside quarantine facilities – all being foreigners. 2 are a man and woman from Ethiopia, while another is an Omani man from the UAE.

As of 9th November 2020, there are 119 patients hospitalised in the country with no new deaths. Thailand now has a total of 3,840 COVID-19 cases with 3,661 recoveries and 60 deaths according to Bangkok Post.

So far, the infections still aren’t affecting the government’s Special Tourist Visa (STV) which allows its holder to stay in Thailand for up to 270 days.

Just as before, we will definitely get through this – just don’t forget to look after yourself and others by wearing a mask and sanitising your hands regularly.

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Featured image adapted from: Prachachat

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Eddie Jirayu: