Workpoint Entertainment Co has been ordered to close its studios for 11 days to control the spread of Covid-19, after a report that many of its staff have contracted the virus since late May.
Workpoint announced the temporary closure of its studios and offices from last Thursday until this Sunday for disinfection after infected guests participated in a programme that led to the spread of the virus. The virus was reported to have infected its news anchors and other staff on June 5.
Its Morning News programme on Wednesday informed the public that Workpoint had stepped up preventive measures by providing nasal swab tests for all staff every week. Its chairman and TV host, Phanya Nirunkul, is said to be healthy and free of Covid-19.
However, its two news anchors, Kanwaela "Porpeer" Soa-ruen and Thanapatr "Shin" Tirangkool, contracted the virus and were hospitalised, it reported.
A Workpoint source said the virus is still spreading despite strict measures to restrict people's movements in and out of the company.
The company has also insisted its infections are not a "cluster" and the situation is not as severe nor scary as some reports have claimed. It s not clear how the shutdown has affected operations.
Korat star Sunaree Ratchasima admitted her Covid-19 test result was positive last Friday. She appears on Workpoint's Hong Khao Banthoeng TV programme.
However, Ms Sunaree had a mild Covid-19 case and was reportedly declared recovered after taking another test on Sunday. It was also said that everyone in her family has been spared Covid-19 infection. Although infections at Workpoint have been reported, an exact number of infections there has yet to be published.
Dr Apisamai Srirangson, the assistant spokeswoman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said this is because the investigation into the disease there is being conducted by the Department of Disease Control. It was not considered a cluster despite the infection reports in the news section since May.
