Concern over infected Egyptian soldier in Rayong quarantine – among 3 new Covid-19 cases

[webfact]

Concern over infected Egyptian soldier in Rayong quarantine – among 3 new Covid-19 cases

By The Nation

 

FILE PHOTO: Reuters

 

Thailand saw three new confirmed Covid-19 cases, including that of an Egyptian soldier, in state quarantine without any death over the past 24 hours, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), reported today (July 13) – the 49th day without any domestic case.

 

The latest cases are an asymptomatic 48-year-old male worker, who returned home from Kuwait, where he stayed at a campsite which was previously hit by at least 10 cases, and a 22-year-old woman, who came back from Bahrain.

 

What has especially caused concern is the third case – of an asymptomatic 43-year-old male Egyptian soldier, who travelled with a military crew to Thailand on July 8. He was found positive yesterday. He and his group travelled from Cairo to the United Arab Emirates (July 6), then to Pakistan (July 7) and Thailand (July 8). He and the crew reportedly visited a Rayong shopping and community area. 

 

They left their hotel on July 9 and travelled to China on an unspecified military mission via U-Tapao Airport. They returned to Thailand the same day. On July 10, the crew of 31 got tested.

 

However, they were allowed to go home on July 11 though their Covid-19 test results weren’t confirmed. The soldier was found to test positive on July 12. Health authorities were questioning the staff of the unnamed hotel in which the group stayed.

 

Meanwhile, two local patients have fully recovered and returned home in the past 24 hours.

 

As for Saturday’s case of a 9-year-old African girl, who is the daughter of an ambassador and was found to be infected with Covid-19 on arrival, she travelled with four other family members to Thailand on July 10, having been tested at the foreign airport she departed. She was taken to a hospital on July 11 while other members of her family stayed in a condominium in Bangkok.

 

“The CCSA has discussed such cases and the need for some measures to be tightened,” Dr Taweesin said. “The government has allowed foreigners to enter but they need to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

 

Officials have to further discuss the issue of relaxing this quarantine for short-stay visitors and other measures at every airport to meet public health standards. A medical team is investigating and checking the condominium to ensure the safety of Thais,” he added.

 

As of today, the total number of confirmed cases in the country stands at 3,220 (2,444 domestic cases and 283 found in state quarantine). Of these, 72 are undergoing treatment, 3,090 have recovered and been discharged, and 58 have died.

 

Globally, the total number of confirmed cases has passed 13 million, up by 193,000 in 24 hours, with 7.5 million having recovered and 571,000 people dying. Thailand ranks 100th in the world for most cases, while the US still has the highest number, followed by Brazil and India.

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-13

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

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[MadMac]

Same as with the american ambassador last week, some are getting a free pass and endanger a whole country. Irresponsible.

[ThailandRyan]

Money talks, PC walk's, military triumphs without quarantine because of secret missions, and then of course who the F knows what else has been afoot.

[DrTuner]

Has there been any progress whatsoever in the tracking front besides the useless thaichana? Do they have a task force for manual tracking? Did they use the time bought by extremely expensive lockdowns for anything? Testing capability? 

[webfact]

Thai officials tracing anyone who may have been infected by Egyptian soldier

 

 

The CCSA is asking anyone who thinks they may have had physical contact with an Egyptian soldier, who was on a short visit to Thailand last week and later tested positive for COVID-19, to come forward for testing, said CCSA spokesman Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin told a news briefing today (Monday)

 

The Egyptian soldier is one of the three new COVID-19 cases recorded in Thailand today by the CCSA.

 

Dr. Taweesin said that the 43-year Egyptian was among a group of 30 personnel who flew into Thailand on July 8th and entered quarantine at a hotel in the eastern province of Rayong. The following day, the group left for China and returned to Thailand the same night, checking into the hotel for a one-night stay, before departing for Egypt on July 11th. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-officials-tracing-anyone-who-may-have-been-infected-by-egyptian-soldier/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-07-13

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Raphus]

So this is why they have been worried about a second wave. Secret squirrels travelling in and out of the country !!

[DrTuner]

Ok so that's the tracing strategy? "Please come forward if you think you met this dude"?

[ThailandRyan]

Opens the door for mass hysteria now.  How many will flock to be tested .  

[DrTuner]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Opens the door for mass hysteria now.  How many will flock to be tested .  

For the first one, many, second one, a few, third one, nobody cares. That's how it works in Thailand, complacency kicks in fast and vicious.

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, MadMac said:

Same as with the american ambassador last week, some are getting a free pass and endanger a whole country. Irresponsible.

Agree. The virus doesn't care if you're an ambassador, a soldier, a VIP or some Hiso. The rules must apply to all if they are to be effective.

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, DrTuner said:

For the first one, many, second one, a few, third one, nobody cares. That's how it works in Thailand, complacency kicks in fast and vicious.

It is what has been noticed by myself and quite a few others in the way folks have reacted to the Daily reports if no domestic cases. Complacency has crept in and then complacency can become a bad habit and a attitude of who the f cares....causing major problems 

[Berti]

This is Thailand. Know the right people and everything is possible.

[NancyL]

Why, oh why, would they let these foreign soldiers out of their hotel to go to a shopping mall and "other places"?  It's bad enough that they were permitted to transit through Thailand.  All the hard-won gains of the lock-down, social distancing and mask-wearing can be lost with just a few lapses like this.

[DirtyHarry55]

According to other sources he was part of a group 30 Egyptian military Air force Pilots who were given exemption from quarantine.

Now who gave the exemption and why are they still in a Job?
Did they get a special exemption from the Thai Military?

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/07/13/colleagues-of-pilot-found-with-virus-were-allowed-to-leave-quarantine/



 

[ThaidDown]

Quote

The CCSA is asking anyone who thinks they may have had physical contact with an Egyptian soldier, who was on a short visit to Thailand last week and later tested positive for COVID-19, to come forward for testing,

It would help somewhat if they published the names of the hotel, shopping centre and 'other' venues plus the times that these people visited. Have not seen these details published.

(We live in Rayong city and wife claims to know the name of hotel,shopping centre and one other establishment and she is usually right about these things, but will not state here )

 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, ThaidDown said:

would help somewhat if they published the names of the hotel, shopping centre and 'other' venues

It's all disclosed on Thai Facebook groups. 

My gf told me all about this story early today.  Along with the hotel name, shopping center etc. 

The cancellation of bookings for long weekend later this month has started already on Koh Samed.

Sad really. The businesses were hoping for big weekend.

[petedk]

25 minutes ago, ThaidDown said:

It would help somewhat if they published the names of the hotel, shopping centre and 'other' venues plus the times that these people visited. Have not seen these details published.

(We live in Rayong city and wife claims to know the name of hotel,shopping centre and one other establishment and she is usually right about these things, but will not state here )

 

This goes to show that the Thai chana app is useless. If everyone had used it, it would be no effort to contact everyone.

I wonder if it really works.

[Peabody]

PT Barnum would be so proud.

[Justgrazing]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

What has especially caused concern is the third case – of an asymptomatic 43-year-old male Egyptian soldier, who travelled with a military crew to Thailand on July 8.

Just walking about maybe was he ..

[MikeyIdea]

On arrival testing is useless as incubation period is 3 to 14 days. Anyone can test negative the first time and positive the second, as is any kind of home quarantine or non strictly controlled quarantine. Some will always destroy for the rest. This is going to increase anti foreign sentiment. 

[ukrules]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, two local patients have fully recovered and returned home in the past 24 hours.

Define 'local patients'.....

[Wongkitlo]

1 hour ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

According to other sources he was part of a group 30 Egyptian military Air force Pilots who were given exemption from quarantine.

Now who gave the exemption and why are they still in a Job?
Did they get a special exemption from the Thai Military?

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/07/13/colleagues-of-pilot-found-with-virus-were-allowed-to-leave-quarantine/



 

Yes Khaosod were not so forgiving. They said They were excused quarantine because It was a short term visit.

[DirtyHarry55]

In another case a Diplomats daughter initially tested negative but after further tests turned out to be positive.

What's it with these so called VIP's why should they get away without doing quarantine?

[asiacurious]

17 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

Yes Khaosod were not so forgiving. They said They were excused quarantine because It was a short term visit.

The article also said....

 

Quote

The spokesman said the group spent three nights in Thailand from July 8 to 11 for a replenishment stop before flying back to Egypt on Saturday. They reportedly made brief stops in the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan before their arrival. 

 

Anyone want to speculate on what kind of "replenishment" these military guys needed for 2 nights?  And, did they go out for replenishment, or did they order in?

 

Could be kind of difficult to trace some people they came in contact with.

 

 

[DirtyHarry55]

30 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

The article also said....

 

 

Anyone want to speculate on what kind of "replenishment" these military guys needed for 2 nights?  And, did they go out for replenishment, or did they order in?

 

Could be kind of difficult to trace some people they came in contact with.

 

 

Yes that could be quite embarrassing if it gets out!

Thailand's 45 day Virus FREE record broken because 30 Egyptian soldiers needed to get replenishment.

 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

Could also just be a false-positive. The result of a second test would be interesting. Any way of searching for the story in Egyptian news outlets?

[DrJack54]

Rayong school close tomorrow.

 

[DirtyHarry55]

6 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Could also just be a false-positive. The result of a second test would be interesting. Any way of searching for the story in Egyptian news outlets?

Even if it's false-positive the question arises why were 30 Soldiers exempted from quarantine and let out on the town?

I'm sure we will never get an answer.

[Maha Sarakham]

1 hour ago, MikeyIdea said:

This is going to increase anti foreign sentiment. 

The most concerning aspect of it in my eyes.

[khunpa]

All it takes is a foreigner like this and a few popular escorts... 

 

Only positive thing is that Thailand is pretty good at contact tracing, which could stop spread.