NAKHON PHANOM: A village head is being investigated for allegedly failing to self-quarantine and visiting a temple in That Phanom district after returning from a designated risk province on April 11. She later tested positive for Covid-19.
Nakhon Phanom governor Kaisorn Kongchalard said on Thursday that the infected woman faces a fact-finding probe.
The 55-year-old head of a village in tambon Nam Kam had visited her daughter in Pathum Thani province on April 9. Pathum Thani is one of 18 provinces declared "red" maximum control zones by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Her daughter and son-in-law drove her home by car to tambon Nam Kam on April 11.
The woman then reportedly failed to place herself in home quarantine, as required after returning from a high-risk province.
She instead took her family to make merit at Wat Sophonthammaram in the same tambon, along with a new family car for the abbot to anoint with blessings, on April 15.
She later fell ill and took a Covid-19 test. On April 19, the result came back positive and she was admitted to hospital.
The provincial public health office sent a disease screening team to check her timeline and movements. This resulted in 11 monks and novices at the temple being ordered to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Her failure to self isolate and subsequent confirmation of infection sparked fear among local residents. She is patient No.48 in this northeastern province.
The governor said the investigation would take 15 days. If found at fault, the village head would face disciplinary action. That could range from a salary cut and warnings to dismissal from office.
As a state official, the village head should be fully aware of her role in preventing the spread of the disease, the governor said.