100 quarantined in Phichit after 3 civil servants test positive

PHICHIT: Three government offices in this northern province have been closed and 100 people sent to state quarantine facilities for 14 days after three people working in the offices tested positive for Covid-19.

Phichit governor Rangsan Tancharoen said the three three infected people lived in neighbouring Phitsanulok province and travelled from their homes to work at the offices — Thalor municipality, the provincial land reform office and the provincial legal execution office — in Phichit.

They later fell sick and took Covid tests. The results showed they tested positive for the virus, he said on Saturday.

Almost 100 people known to have come into contact with the three people were asked to stay at state quarantine facilities where their conditions wold be observed for 14 days. The three offices were also ordered closed.

Mr Rangsan said he also issued an order on Friday to bar government officials, state enterprise staff and employees of all local organisations from travelling outside Phichit without permission.

If they receive permission to travel outside the province, they must enter quarantine for 14 days upon their return as part of Covid control measures, he said.

Since the new wave of the outbreak began at the start of April, Phichit has reported 82 Covid-19 cases. On Saturday authorities reported an increase in Covid cases of 2,419 nationwide, with 19 more deaths.