Doctor warns of possible second wave of COVID-19 spread by illegal returnees

 

 

Associate Professor Dr. Thira Woratanarat, of the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, said today that infected illegal Thai returnees, from Myanmar’s Thachilek township, pose a high risk of a second wave of infections in Thailand and urged officials to be especially vigilant over for the next two weeks.

 

He also urged the public not to lower their guard, because it is impossible to know whether any of the illegal returnees are infected until they visit doctors with symptoms.

 

Dr. Thira said some of the illegal returnees travelled to several places, visited entertainment venues and shared cigarettes and drinks with their friends, activities which risk transmission of the disease.

 

Forty-eight Thai women working at a hotel in Myanmar’s Thachilek border township want to return to Thailand, but through the Second Friendship Bridge border checkpoint, said Dr. Tossathep Boonthong, provincial health chief of Chiang Rai province, today (Thursday).

 

Thai officials have coordinated with their Myanmar counterparts, through the Thai-Myanmar Border Committee, to facilitate the orderly return to Thailand of the Thai workers after several of them snuck across the border, ten of whom were infected with COVID-19, causing alarm among Thai health officials that some of them could become “super spreaders”.

 

Dr. Tossathep said that the returnees will not face any charges for crossing borders illegally, but they will be properly screened and placed in local quarantine for 14 days after their return.

 

According to management of the 1G1 Hotel in Thachilek, about 180 Thai women worked at the hotel, mostly in the karaoke bar.

 

Two Royal mobile COVID-19 testing labs have been deployed in Chiang Rai. One is at the Second Friendship Bridge and the other in Baan Pa Moed in Mae Sai district, near a hotel in which many illegal Thai returnees take temporary refuge, before travelling further inland. Each lab can test up to 300 people a day.

 

Meanwhile, troop reinforcements from the Pa Muang Task Force have been deployed along the natural borderline with Myanmar, to stem the flow of illegal migrants looking for work in Thailand or escaping the COVID-19 outbreak in Thachilek.

 

The CCSA, meanwhile, recorded 13 new COVID-19 cases in Thailand, including six Thais who snuck across the natural border from Thachilek.

 

The seven other new cases are an Indian from India, a Thai woman returning from the US and another arriving from Mexico, an Egyptian woman arriving from Sweden, a Pakistani from Pakistan and two Thai women arriving from the Netherlands.

 

Cumulative infections in Thailand, to date, are 4,039, with 3,832 recoveries.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/doctor-warns-of-possible-second-wave-of-covid-19-spread-by-illegal-returnees/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-12-03

 

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3 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Doctor warns of possible second wave of COVID-19 spread by illegal returnees

now that is one SMART guy !; musta graduated last in his med school class

Need more restrictions, more laws, more rules... it's not enough. Lock it all down now.

33 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

will not face any charges for crossing borders illegally,

im  off  to  cross  the  border  as  its  obviously  ok  now

56 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

pose a high risk of a second wave of infections in Thailand 

Anutin says it's under control, surely he knows more than a simple associate professor? 

6 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Anutin says it's under control, surely he knows more than a simple associate professor? 

Yes, Anutin - the man to blame for the second wave. It's not here yet but it will be.

8 hours ago, Tounge Thaied said:

Need more restrictions, more laws, more rules... it's not enough. Lock it all down now.

We don't need more restrictions, more laws and more rules. They are hardly enforced anyway anymore. Let's take the "dangerous" entertainment industry. Closing time should be midnight. It is now after 3 in the morning and here in Central Pattaya there are still bars open. And they don't follow any precaution rules anyway. Why should they if laws and regulations are not enforced? Or the festivals like the recent Fireworks Festival in Pattaya without any Covid precautions. I expect the same for the upcoming Music Festival and the New Years celebration. 

 

Amazing Thailand - it really had a lot of luck until now. I ask myself for how much longer can this miracle last. 

Totally obsessed, yes they have been lucky, but there is no need to panic residents... 

Blame somebody else  like Thais like to do so if thailand had no Thais returnees no 1 crossing the boarders thailand would be virus free

Edited December 3, 20205 yr by Woolsgibb60

1 hour ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

Totally obsessed, yes they have been lucky, but there is no need to panic residents... 

 

That seems to be the objective, to panic the residents. They have been on about a 2nd wave for six or seven months now. Keeping the country in quarantine likely helps with other problems.

I wonder if it being the cool season has anything to do with this latest spreading event?

First thing my wife did was rush out and buy more masks.

Might have to stock up on beer.

Here we go again..

There cannot be a second wave, if there wasn't even a first wave.........

 

3000 cases so far, seriously .........

 

In Thailand there must be 100,000 cases + flu at least per year

Deaths would be 1000+ from flu also

Small waves only so far ... but infected thais illegaly crossing the border may bring a bigger one ...

Myanmar has much more cases than Thailand .

Why is that so ?

It can't be just because of the geographical position , they are nearly identical .

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-warns-10-times-more-infectious-coronavirus-strain-second-wave-covid-19.html

The strain that is now present in Myanmar is up to ten times more infectious that the thai strain .

That represents a real danger of a big surge in infections for Thailand .

Controlling and closing the border to Burma should have first priority now .

Edited December 4, 20205 yr by nobodysfriend

Some how I got this feeling that the recent crossing is just an excuse for the raising numbers. A bit hard for me to believe with all the smoke being blow by the leaders that all of a sudden the border is the problem. It seem with all the Chinese coming in with their special no look programs not one case something smells?????

1 hour ago, hydraides said:

There cannot be a second wave, if there wasn't even a first wave.........

 

3000 cases so far, seriously .........

 

In Thailand there must be 100,000 cases + flu at least per year

Deaths would be 1000+ from flu also

And your point is what?

 

This late in the game, and despite overwhelming evidence, you are a "covid-denier"?

 

 

I'm just relieved that we can now all cross borders illegally without consequence. Passports, visas, extensions of stay are so overrated...

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Dr. Tossathep said that the returnees will not face any charges for crossing borders illegally, but they will be properly screened and placed in local quarantine for 14 days after their return.

Am I missing something here?

14 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Anutin says it's under control, surely he knows more than a simple associate professor? 

He knows all about bridges.

6 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

Totally obsessed, yes they have been lucky, but there is no need to panic residents... 

Just coming out in the Thai media.  Some of these infected ladies have gotten on planes and traveled around the country.  Warnings are now out for Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi, etc. 

 

This virus is very contagious.  Congrats to Thailand for dealing with this virus so well.

He could be warning of the 20k + people that will be killed next year 8n Thai roads if past history is followed.

Just drove into town from my village in the North West of CM province and the roadside checkpoints are back making sure every one is wearing a mask and doing temperature checks.

Fear panic lets keep the ball rolling More B/S Keep the population living in fear Way to go

3 minutes ago, Happyman567 said:

Fear panic lets keep the ball rolling More B/S Keep the population living in fear Way to go

You really don't help with junk like this.

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Dr. Tossathep said that the returnees will not face any charges for crossing borders illegally

So, we can now all cross the border with impunity and face no charges. Or is that a privilege reserved only for Thais?

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

near a hotel in which many illegal Thai returnees take temporary refuge, before travelling further inland.

So they know where many Thais who have entered the country illegally stay, but no arrests are made? Sounds right, as according to the quote above Thais don't face charges for entering the country illegally. Only foreigners.

an Indian from India, well I never

This man deduced more infections. Clever man, and one that must be studying the virus very hard !! Hahaha

I mentioned to my wife, thank god it was Thais and not Falang or I wouldnt be able to walk the streets.  Thais are calling for the blood of these fools.

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Am I missing something here?

He was referring to the 48 that want to return now.

This doctor might just be, unknowingly, pushing the blame on these poor sods for the second wave of COVID-19, if it ever comes. It could start a witch hunt for them. Not wise for him to say that.