SURAT THANI: A Surat Thani hotel is undergoing deep cleaning, while testing has been stepped up after six participants in an anti-drug event — five inmates and a warder from Narathiwat — tested positive for Covid-19.
A total of eight inmates and warders from Narathiwat Central Prison, aged 20-42, arrived on Thursday from the southern border province to participate in a product contest as part of an anti-drug campaign held by the Corrections Department at the Diamond Plaza Hotel in Muang district of Surat Thani on Friday.
The inmates stayed overnight on Thursday at the Surat Thani Central Prison while the warders stayed at a hotel in downtown Surat Thani.
The provincial public health office received a report from Surat Thani Hospital at around 8pm on Friday that six people from the Narathiwat group had sought treatment after falling ill.
All eight inmates and warders were taken for Covid-19 tests. Six tested positive and were sent to the hospital’s negative pressure room. The two others were quarantined at the hospital to wait for the second round of testing.
Health officials subsequently conducted Covid-19 tests among 135 people at the Surat Thani Central Prison who were deemed at high risk and all tested negative.
Local media reported that Surat Thani prison officials were contacted by their colleagues in Narathiwat. The latter reportedly said there were infected people at the Narathiwat prison, and there was a concern that some people who had been in contact with them were part of the group visiting Surat Thani.
The Surat Thani public health office has also asked those who took part in the activity at the hotel between 7am and 5pm on Friday to self-isolate and observe their conditions until April 16.
The six cases bring to 17 the total number of infections confirmed in the southern province since the start of the second coronavirus wave in December. The other 11 have recovered and been discharged from hospital, the public health office said.
Provincial governor Wichawut Jinto on Saturday visited Surat Thani Hospital to follow up on the case. He said that in light of the negative tests at the prison, he believed the outbreak would be brought under control.
Health workers and staff on Saturday sprayed disinfectant in seminar rooms and other rooms at the Diamond Plaza Hotel.