A field hospital is being set up at a canned pineapple factory in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Hua Hin district after Covid-19 infections linked to the cluster rose to 112 yesterday.
Deputy provincial governor Prompiriya Kijnuson yesterday said that 257 factory workers considered at risk of contracting the virus were tested and 112 were positive.
Mr Prompiriya said provincial authorities have agreed to set up a field hospital with 250 beds in the compound of the factory to treat patients who show little to no symptoms.
Teams of officials will be deployed to prevent people from sneaking in and out of the field hospital, he added.
Mr Prompiriya said public health officials were sent in to disinfect the factory, its workers' dormitory and the surrounding community to prevent the spread of the virus.
The local community yesterday continued to press for the closure of the factory out of concern that it could trigger a spread of the virus to other provinces.
The factory reportedly received its supplies from several provinces in the northern and eastern regions.
Earlier, community residents had demanded the factory be shut down for five days for disinfection and Covid-19 tests. They were upset factory operations continued after 11 workers were found to be infected with the virus.
According to a disease control investigation, the factory cluster was likely linked to an entertainment venue cluster in Hua Hin. One worker reportedly visited the venue last month before falling ill.
Prachuap Khiri Khan reported 27 new cases yesterday, raising the total of infections in the third wave to 1,167.