Six more Thai nationals, including a Bangkok resident, have been confirmed to have Covid-19 after they returned from an entertainment venue in neighbouring Myanmar, the same location where the first four confirmed cases were believed to have contracted the coronavirus, the Public Health Ministry said yesterday.
These 10 confirmed Covid-19 cases are all linked to the same entertainment venue at 1G1 Hotel in Tachileik, said Sopon Iamsirithaworn, director of the Division of Communicable Diseases.
One of the six new cases was a 28-year-old native of Phayao province who worked at the 1G1 Hotel entertainment venue, said the doctor. She returned to Thailand on Nov 27 through a natural trail, checked in at a hotel in Chiang Rai until Nov 30, when she underwent a Covid-19 test at a private hospital in Chiang Mai before returning home to Phayao, said Dr Sopon.
This patient was then admitted to a hospital in her hometown province and was later, on Dec 1, confirmed by the Chiang Mai hospital to have Covid-19, he said.
The second case is a 21-year-old resident of Bangkok who returned through a natural trail in Chiang Rai from a visit to 1G1 Hotel between Nov 17-21 with a 25-year-old friend on Nov 28. The Bangkok woman tested positive for Covid-19 in Bangkok, while her friend, who travelled back to her home province of Phichit, was confirmed to be the third Covid-19 case, he said.
The fourth case is a 36-year-old resident of Ratchaburi who visited the same venue between Nov 23-24, returned to Thailand through a natural trail on Nov 29, boarded a plane from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and travelled on to Ratchaburi where she was confirmed to have Covid-19 on Dec 1, he said.
The fifth and sixth cases are 23-year-old and 25-year-old residents of Chiang Mai who had worked at the 1G1 Hotel as well, said the doctor.
They returned to Thailand on Nov 26, stayed with three other friends in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district and tested positive on Dec 1 when they were back in Chiang Mai, said the doctor.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered to strengthen security along the Thai-Myanmar border, particularly around Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.