Authorities on high alert after Bangkok prison inmate tests positive for Covid-19

[webfact]

Authorities on high alert after Bangkok prison inmate tests positive for Covid-19

By THE NATION

 

 

Thai authorities said they were closely tracking the travel and physical contact history of a 37-year-old man being detained over drug charges after he tested positive for Covid-19.

 

It is the first locally transmitted Covid-19 case in Thailand in 101 days.

 

After the Department of Disease Control (DDC) confirmed on Thursday about the prisoner testing positive, Dr Walairat Chaifu, director of the Epidemiology Division at the DDC, said that her division had received the report on this prisoner on September 2 and had performed laboratory tests at two institutes to confirm the result.

 

“The DDC together with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Health Office and the Department of Corrections has investigated the timeline of the prisoner’s symptoms and travel history,” she said. “On September 2, we collected a sample from the prisoner's nasal cavity and found the virus, so we traced back 14 days to August 29 and found that he had displayed symptoms of phlegm.”

 

The man lived in a condo in Bangkok’s Bang Mod area and worked as a DJ in Rama III and Rama V areas before he was arrested. He has no record of travelling to any foreign country.

 

“He had come in contact with five relatives, two of whom are living upcountry. We expect to call them back by September 4,” she added. “During August 12-25, he had been working at two branches of “3 Days 2 Nights” pub in Rama III (on Monday, Thursday and Saturday) and Rama V (Friday and Sunday). On August 18, he worked at the First Café on Khaosan Road.”

 

 

Walairat added that officials are investigating those who have come in contact with the man at his workplaces. “Those who have visited these establishments during these dates while wearing a face masks and did not make direct contact with the man should have low risk of infection,” she said.

 

“However, we advise them to monitor their symptoms closely. If you display symptoms such as fever, coughing, sore throat, loss of ability to smell and sense of taste, please contact the DDC or local hospitals to get tested.”

 

The three establishments were ordered shut for three days for cleaning and disinfection.

 

“On August 26, the man drove his car to Ratchada Court and then was was transported to the Central Special Correctional Institution in Bangkok. There were 20 people who had come in contact with him and are at high risk of infection, including 15 prisoners in the same bus, two prison guards, two prisoners who were on trial in the same case, and one lawyer,” said Walairat.

 

“On August 29, the man was sent to a detention cell, awaiting entry into the general population area of the prison,” she said. “There were 34 prisoners who were in the same cell and two other prisoners who are volunteering as caretakers of new prisoners who might have come in contact with him.”

 

Dr Weerakit Hanparipan, Department of Corrections deputy director, said that the man is the second case of Covid-19 found in the Central Special Correctional Institution, which has around 8,000 inmates.

 

“The department has strictly followed the procedures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 by separating new inmates for 14 days before letting them into the general population area,” he said.

 

“After we tested the man and found that he was Covid-19 positive, we sent him and all 34 cell mates to the department’s hospital immediately and placed each of them in quarantine. The two prisoner caretakers did not enter the cell of the man and therefore carry low risk of infection. The rest 8,000 inmates also have no risk of infection from the man.”

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30393997

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-04

 

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[blackcab]

An off topic post has been removed.

[FarFlungFalang]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

she said. “On September 2, we collected a sample from the prisoner's nasal cavity and found the virus, so we traced back 14 days to August 29 and found that he had displayed symptoms of phlegm.”

14 days back from 2 Sept is Aug 19.

[Dmaxdan]

Always going to happen. Covid 19 is here to stay. Thailand contained it before and should have few problems doing so again.

[Oldie]

A clear sign that "there have been no new cases" does not mean that there is no Corona in Thailand. 

[Blumpie]

Uh oh...

[ezzra]

could it be from a conjugal visit perhaps?...

[pantsonfire]

Will blame illegal burma immigrants 

[CorpusChristie]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The man lived in a condo in Bangkok’s Bang Mod area

..........................Better not ????

[wombat]

the common cold is a covid virus

[Dap]

Thailand, 100 days free of the virus (except for those cases arising in quarantine on an almost daily basis), and one case magically appears in the middle of Bangkok. How odd is that  

[DirtyHarry55]

Quote

There were 34 prisoners who were in the same cell

If he didn't infect 1 person that would be a Miracle "Thailand land of Miracles!!"

In another article 130 officials he came in contact tested negative too.

[keystonecoppers2]

 

 

                        Clearly, no tourist visiting prisons then?!   Oh, well!

[grumpy 4680]

     I know Thai prisons are not good, but 8000 in one prison ?????

[Mung]

1 hour ago, wombat said:

the common cold is a covid virus

congratulations, it is. However it is more lethal than the common cold and a little bit more lethal than influenza. There are 3 different types of Meningitis, there are many different corona viruses, doesn't mean they all act the same or have a similar virulency 

[Mung]

Watch the country go into meltdown from a single confirmed case. 
Meanwhile where I currently am, people are living as normal and the economy is doing great considering the current climate. 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Always going to happen. Covid 19 is here to stay. Thailand contained it before and should have few problems doing so again.

Yeah a bit like Lumpini park boxing ring.

[Max69xl]

6 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

14 days back from 2 Sept is Aug 19.

It might be a typo. 

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, wombat said:

the common cold is a covid virus

Ever heard of rhinovirus, rsv, adenoviruses, enterovirus, parainfluenza, etc

 

There are 200+ different 'common cold' viruses, none of the above are coronaviruses and they account for about 80% of all colds.

 

[Eddy Ozark]

Would not surprise me if this is the beginning of something bigger. Proves the virus is in the country among the general population.

[DrTuner]

"The Big Show"

 

Now huff and puff and look important.

[digger70]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

It is the first locally transmitted Covid-19 case in Thailand in 101 days.

That's What they Know of, there maybe plenty more Undetected/Tested ones running lose.

[Jorgendk]

2 hours ago, Mung said:

congratulations, it is. However it is more lethal than the common cold and a little bit more lethal than influenza. There are 3 different types of Meningitis, there are many different corona viruses, doesn't mean they all act the same or have a similar virulency 

That is right. I also think you should not take a case of this virus as lightly as many seems to do.

They have found, that in many cases, especially in younger people that has had it, they suffer lot of, sometimes very serious, aftereffects later. 

[KhaoYai]

Must have been some 'dirty farangs' in the clubs where he worked. Its just not possible for him to have contracted Covid 19 from another Thai citizen - they don't have it. ????

[FarFlungFalang]

3 hours ago, Mung said:

congratulations, it is. However it is more lethal than the common cold and a little bit more lethal than influenza. There are 3 different types of Meningitis, there are many different corona viruses, doesn't mean they all act the same or have a similar virulency 

I think H1N1 flu virus might be a little bit more lethal than Sars Cov 2 virus you'll have to get to 30-50 million deaths in one pandemic to bump that one off top billing as far as deadliness goes.Maybe a bit more lethal than recent influenza viruses.

[The Barmbeker]

There goes your myth of zero domestic infections...

Edited September 4, 2020 by The Barmbeker

[soalbundy]

Puts an end to prison as tourist attractions.

[unblocktheplanet]

8,000 prisoners!!! Whew!

[moe666]

7 hours ago, wombat said:

the common cold is a covid virus

But it doesn't call heart problems, blood clots. 

[Nout]

7 hours ago, Dap said:

Thailand, 100 days free of the virus (except for those cases arising in quarantine on an almost daily basis), and one case magically appears in the middle of Bangkok. How odd is that  

How mysterious is the nature of contagion and infection spread? Please...biology 101 for you. Not odd at all...I think you may be happy with this news..And every other misfortune that falls on this country.