CHIANG MAI: A 26-year-old woman who worked at a hotel in Tachilek and crossed the border illegally with two other people later found to have Covid-19 has also been confirmed as infected.
The case, confirmed on Saturday by the provincial communicable disease control committee, brings to at least 16 the number of infections found in people who worked at the 1G1 hotel and casino in the Myanmar border town or people who later came in contact with them.
Dr Kittiphan Chalom, the assistant public health chief of Chiang Mai, said the 26-year-old woman sneaked back into the country via a natural passage with her two friends on Nov 30. Her friends were later found to have Covid-19. The woman underwent a coronavirus test on Dec 1 but it was negative.
The woman, who stayed at a state quarantine facility, developed a fever and cough two days later and went to Nakornping Hospital where she tested positive for Covid-19.
Further investigation found no other people had come into contact with her as she was in the same group as earlier confirmed cases in Chiang Mai. After she tested negative the first time, she was immediately quarantined, said Dr Kittiphan.
On Friday, a 32-year-old man who worked as a DJ at the same hotel was confirmed to have the coronavirus. He had returned to Chiang Mai from Tachilek on Monday night, according to provincial health office chief Chatuchai Maneerat and Dr Kittiphan.