NAKHON RATCHASIMA: In the wake of restrictions placed on Bangkok and surrounding provinces, an order has been issued to temporarily shut down shopping malls and others venues considered high risks for the Covic-19 spread in this major northeastern province, effective from Sunday to April 12.
All shopping malls -- except supermarket zones, pharmacies or zones selling daily necessities and food outlets offering take-out and delivery -- must close on Sunday under the order issued on Saturday by governor Wichian Chantaranothai.
The closure order also affects many other venues: cinemas, Thai traditional massage parlours, Internet shops, karaoke joints, water parks, swimming pools, restaurants excepting take-out and delivery, beauty salons, barber shops, gyms and sports centres, horse-racing courses, cock-fighting rings, boxing stadiums, snooker and billiards shops and cattle markets.
As of March 21, Nakhon Ratchasima reported five coronavirus infections.
The most recent cases were two people, aged 38 and 42, from Pak Thongchai and Muang districts who contracted the virus at two separate boxing stadiums in Bangkok.
The 38-year-old had close contact with 11 people -- seven of them with a high risk and four others with a low risk of contracting the disease.
The 42-year-old had close contact with many more people -- 26 with a high risk and 96 with a low risk of contracting the virus.
Health authorities are looking for all those who had contact with the two recently-infected individuals in order to put them in quarantine.