Covid outbreak at cop training site

More than 180 people at a police training centre in Ratchaburi have tested positive for Covid-19, in a major new cluster of infections. Most of those infected are students.

The Provincial Police Region 7 training centre confirmed the infections via a Facebook post yesterday, saying that 182 out of all 592 people at the centre have been infected. Of those infected, 179 are students and three are cooks while no trainers were found to be infected.

The centre conducted a random test on students using rapid antigen test kits on Thursday and found that 39 people were infected, the centre said. The centre then tested everyone at the centre -- 561 students, 14 cooks and 17 trainers -- using the standard RT-PCR Covid-19 testing method on Friday and Saturday.

Working together with local health authorities, the centre has placed those who tested negative for the virus under quarantine, as repeat testing of Covid-19 will be conducted.

The cause of the infections is also being investigated.

Surrounding communities have been informed about infections at the centre and advised to heighten their Covid-19 prevention measures.

Of those infected people, only eight students have required hospital treatment while the rest have been isolated at a nearby health centre, said the training centre.

In related news, 156 students and eight teachers have tested positive for Covid-19 in Nakhon Ratchasima since Nov 1 when 79% of all 1,726 schools in 32 districts of the province resumed onsite learning, said Waraphon Bunchiam, deputy chief of the province's education office.

Dr Sombat Watthana, deputy chief provincial health officer, said that Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday recorded 79 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the cumulative number of infections in the province's current Covid-19 wave to 32,107.

Of this number, 1,588 patients are still receiving treatment while 250 people have died of Covid-19 and the rest had recovered from the infection, said the doctor.