CHIANG MAI: The provincial communicable disease committee has ordered an early end to the annual Red Cross and Winter Fair, which had planned to close on Jan 10, after another case of Covid-19 infection was detected.
The fair opened last Friday.
Governor Charoenrit Sanguansat said the latest infection, the province's 50th, was a 25-year-old woman who had visited at least five popular entertainment venues, including on New Year's eve, and many shopping malls in Chiang Mai.
She was confirmed infected with Covid-19 on Monday, and quarantined for treatment.
The committee spent several hours discussing the case on Monday. It is feared the woman may have spread the virus to many other people before testing positive. It was still not clear where she was infected in the first place, he said.
The committee agreed that the five entertainment venues must close for three days and their staff self-isolate for 14 days, to help stop the virus spreading.
All entertainment venues and restaurants must close from 11pm-5am.
The committee also resolved to halt the Red Cross fair, effective Monday night.
The Miss Chiang Mai beauty pageant and the Red Cross lottery draw will be held as scheduled, but without an audience. They will be broadcast live on Facebook, Mr Charoenrit said.
