A restaurant bar in Kalasin province is considered the starting point of the Covid-19 Omicron variant cluster that has spread to infect 248 people, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said.
These infected people are now spread across 12 provinces in the Northeast and the North, it said.
A married Thai couple visited the Kalasin eatery on Dec 12 after they returned from Belgium. They tested negative of Covid-19 on Dec 10 but later tested positive for Omicron.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, chief of the DDC, said a disease investigative team found the couple visited three bars in the province, which the DDC called Bar Q, Bar S and Bar K.
Bar S implemented better measures under Ministry of Public Health's recommendations than the other two, Dr Opas said.
Ticket to ride: Public health officers use antigen test kits to check if passengers are free from Covid-19 before taking a public bus or van at Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak). The service is free. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)
Bar S asked staff to take a weekly ATK test and all staff had been fully vaccinated. It also followed the ministry's Covid-19 prevention guidelines.
The bar closed at 11pm and the maximum customers it allowed was 40, with no extra seats. The disease investigative team found no one was infected with the new coronavirus from Bar S, he said.
The DDC said Bar K did not provide ATK tests for staff, who are fully vaccinated. The maximum number of customers was 90 with extra seats provided. It also had alcoholic drink promotions and closed the bar at midnight. Covid-19 prevention measures were conducted poorly at Bar K, he said.
"The cause of the super-spreader incident began at Bar K, and led to many clusters in the Isan [northeastern] region and the North," Dr Opas said.
"There are 248 cases of Omicron infections related to the couple. We have raised the case to remind people that during the festive holiday people must select restaurants that are less crowded and also have a good indoor ventilation system."
The Omicron cluster was found in the provinces of Kalasin, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Sakon Nakhon, Ubon Ratchathani, Lamphun, Lampang, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun.
The DDC did not provide data about Bar Q.
Dr Opas also raised a similar case that originated in a Bangkok bar & restaurant, where 52 positive cases of Covid-19 were linked. He said the bar & restaurant failed to follow required Covid-free measures and the DDC found Covid-19 in its air-conditioning system as well.
